Love in the Gunfire
by kurosakura369
Summary: Chapter 12 has been added! Vash vs the Mob.
1. Iris Celeste Bloodworth

Trigun: Iris Celeste Bloodworth 1

On the desert planet of Gunsmoke, many of the inhabitants were concerned over their personal safety. Their concern lied with the fate of the heartless, dangerous outlaws that have roamed freely upon the surface. Outlaws that have invoked fear, misery, and poverty upon their own satisfaction. Apparently crime still persisted in this world of gunfights with no avail. There are those who have been following the goal of love and peace. Surprisingly, it had been a legendary outlaw called Vash the Stampede. 

His friends and acquaintances had been doubtful of this spiky blond haired, red coated man's cause, implying that his goal had been as foolish as chasing a rainbow. 

Vash the Stampede continued to pursue the end of the rainbow to find the treasure in order to buy his happiness. He had been reminiscing upon this notion while gazing at the stars one evening from the second story hotel bedroom window in May City. 

Vash's thoughts had been interrupted with the sound of gunfire and the clash of steel in the distance of the quiet city. _What's going on? _he thought while poking his head out of the window to get a closer look. He spotted a figure in a dark hooded cloak that had ran at such a fast pace that he could have sworn the person disappeared among the dark shadows of the buildings. Only the pale full moon illuminated that area of the street. 

Moments later, a group of men ran in the same direction as the cloaked figure with pistols and rifles to serve as weapons in the desperate attempt to capture their prey. 

Trudging footsteps thumped against the hardwood floor beneath the window followed by soft groans. 

Vash took a peek to see where the groans had came from to observe the same cloaked figure in a sitting position clutching the left shoulder in pain. His aqua eyes darted in a sideways glance to see if the bounty hunters were out of sight range. After being satisfied with the coast being clear, he said in a loud whisper: "Psst! Hey, you alright down there?" The cloaked stranger did not reply but simply fell to the floor with a loud thump. Vash widened his eyes in fright, being horrified with the notion of this stranger dieing which went against his moral code of love and peace. 

He left his hotel in great haste, clad in his pajamas (white long sleeved shirt, dark pants, white socks). In a deer-like grace, he flew over the staircase in one leap, landed with a loud thud upon his descent and made it to the door in 10 seconds. The hustle would have impressed any on-looker but in this case recognition had been insignificant to Vash. 

The swift hero flung the door open, ran outside to see the injured stranger in desperation.

The cloaked stranger had laid sprawled upon the dusty boards that served as a sidewalk.

Vash kneeled down to the injured person's level to perform a physical analysis closely. 

He performed the first task of confirming consciousness by shaking the slender boot slightly and asked, "Are you alright?:" To his disappointment, there had been no response. The cloak had been moved aside carefully to further the inspection. 

"A woman?!" he exclaimed in surprise. Again, his eyes widened in shock to observe a petite woman dressed in a green ruffled blouse, black cargo pants, knee-high combat boots laying on her right side with a hand still positioned on the bullet in her left shoulder. Blood oozed down between her slender fingers as a sad expression had been worn on the oval face framed with stray dark auburn curls. Vash had been taken aback by this site, being disgusted with the fact that this innocent looking woman had been shot at. 

__

Why are they chasing such a beautiful lady for? She can't be a criminal...he thought in disbelief. He looked closer to observe a sword and two Desert Eagle .50 pistols attached to her leather belt that had rested behind her. The thought _Her only protection...it has to be!_ ran through his mind while cradling her slender form carefully into the building.

The woman's chest rose and fell at a slow pace during the ambulation. 

Vash seemed quite relieved of this vital sign, knowing that there is still hope for her. 

The auburn braid swayed as he clutched her close to open the door with his left hand and carried her inside by walking backwards. His left elbow nudged the switch to illuminate the room in a bright glow from the blue bedstand lamp. "Hnh..What's going on?" 

The question had been asked in a dry voice from the woman as she grimaced painfully with his grasp. "Shh...It's going to be okay. I'm here to take care of you, sweetie." he said gently. "Looks like a don't have a choice. But thanks for scooping me out of the street." she said sincerely with a one sided grin despite her physical suffering. 

Vash returned the grin while settling her down on a chair near the mahogany dining table, a First Aid kit with a wash basin and a bottle of Wild Turkey liquor resting on the surface. 

"You are very welcome! I couldn't let a pretty flower wither away." he said and winked playfully.. The woman blushed a bright rosy pink and looked to the floor. "You say that to all the girls who lay injured in the street don't you?" she managed to ask. "Not all the time..." he said and blushed a bright pink himself. 

"I have a pair of pliers in my right leg pocket so it can help you remove the bullet efficiently." the woman said calmly in her chair. "You seem to take this situation well," Vash remarked, while unbuttoning her pocket, "Does this happen all the time?"

"No, not all the time. I'm used to the dangers on my travels. Usually, I don't have wounds like this." she replied and braced herself for the bullet removal procedure.

"But aren't you afraid that you are going to die?" he asked as he positioned the pliers carefully upon the bullet in her gushing wound.. "I'm not afraid of death because it is simply a new beginning in existence. My life will be carried out to its fullest before the end of this lifetime." she answered boldly. The woman clenched her teeth as he plucked the bullet from her shoulder. "What's your name, sweetie?" he asked. "Iris Celeste Bloodworth." she replied. "Well, Iris Bloodworth. You are one brave lady!" he exclaimed and dropped the bullet into the wash basin. 

A grin surfaced upon her oval face and watched him bandage her left shoulder carefully. "Since you know my name, isn't it fair that I know yours?" Iris asked with a tilt of her head. "Oh, you are right about that part. It's just Vash the Stampede." he replied.

"The Humanoid Typhoon?! This is an honor!" she exclaimed then grimaced again as the bandages were tightened firmly. "Oh now you are feeling honored!" he replied sarcastically. Iris giggled heartily and said, "Sorry, my independent nature tends to hate people." "I don't blame you for that. It is good that you have that to survive in this world." he said and paused for a moment to look upon Iris intently. 

__

She's so familiar with those eyes being identical to mine...Where have I heard the name Iris Bloodworth before? Damn this fuzzy memory of mine! he thought with a frustrated expression on his face. She seemed concerned to witness his actions and asked, 

"Something wrong?" "No, nothing. You just seem familiar." he replied while scratching his head in a comical manner.."Oh...Just give it time and it'll come back to you. The harder you push for a memory the longer it will take to surface." she advised. "That's true, Iris. How come you are so smart?" he asked affectionately, while sitting at a chair across from hers at the table. "I'm observant that's all. The world is my teacher and I pay attention." she replied while looking to the floor. "Then if the world is a teacher then I didn't get good marks on my report card so far." Vash remarked. "And being sent to the corner for being a class clown." Iris added with her own sarcasm "You teacher's pet!" he said teasingly. Both of them bursted into loud laughter. 

Vash and Iris shared the Wild Turkey liquor in plastic cups at the table. 

He never met a woman who had a sense of humor like his own or could tolerate pain. 

Her kindness took him by surprise by offering the last of the chocolate bars that resided in her cargo pants pockets. Iris giggled again to witness him devour the candy. 

"What's so funny?" he asked. "You look like a kid that just finished a chocolate Easter bunny! It's extremely cute!" she exclaimed. He blushed in embarrassment and dangled his arms in a Frankenstein pose and said in a low voice, "Grrrr...I'm the chocolate monster!" "Oh no! He's so sweet that I'll have to wear dentures! No candy shop is safe from this monster! Whatever shall we do?!" she shrieked in mock horror with her hands to her face.. Vash found the damsel-in-distress amusing by laughing hysterically and managed to say, "That was too funny, Iris!" "If you think that's funny wait until you hear this song: Randolph the bull-legged cowboy...had a very shiny gun! And if you ever saw it...you would turn around and run! All of the other cowboys used to laugh and call him names. They wouldn't let poor Randolph join in any poker games. Then one foggy Christmas Eve the sherrif came to say: 'Randloph with your gun so bright....Why don't you come and shoot my wife tonight?' Then the other cowboys loved him and they shouted with glee! Randolph the the bull-legged cowboy...You'll be hanging from a tree!"she concluded her song with a grin. His laughter increased after hearing the song and held his sore ribs from the intensity. "My God! That was hilarious!" he exclaimed after he managed to stop laughing. 

Iris began to yawn and stretched her arms in her chair. "I wonder what time it is." she murmured. "Its time for you to sleep." he said affectionately and threw the cups into the wastebasket by the window. "Alright, I'll go downstairs to get a room." she said sleepily.

"After that injury, you are not going anywhere." Vash said firmly. He rose from his chair, lifted her into his arms and settled her upon the soft mattress to the left side of the room.

"But where will you sleep?" she asked with concern. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. 

Just get some rest." Iris settled herself upon the mattress and closed her eyes with a peaceful expression on her face. 

Vash removed her belt of weapons and her cloak to allow her to be completely comfortable. He settled the items on the dining table but curiosity had overwhelmed his morals and removed the sword from its sheath. The double edged blade had been admired as a finger trailed along the edge, then returned to its sheath and being settled on the dining table. Again, he looked to Iris in the midst of her slumber and placed the warm sheep skin blanket over her shivering form. "Good night, Iris... Lady Typhoon..."he whispered and brushed aside a few stray curls from her face. Instead of sleeping on the floor he slept leaning backwards in the chair at the dining table. Just as she promised, the memory did return to him....

__

.

. 


	2. Vash Poppins the Gunman Nanny

Trigun: Vash Poppins the Gunman Nanny! 2

The bustling city of October.... The mayor of the fine town had been striving for high security to his citizens ever since word had spread that a dangerous outlaw had been on the loose. Mayor Bloodworth could not bear to sacrifice his citizens or his daughter to a man who called himself Vash the Stampede. To further his security, he had placed an ad in the newspaper for a bodyguard/nanny to protect his child.. 

At the edge of town; a blue three story mansion stood majestically. 

The Bloodworth family resided beneath the roof of the luxurious mansion with dignity, honor, and its peace-making solutions to problems. Mayor Calum Bloodworth had been sitting alone in his spacious study. Books on every subject filled the shelves installed in the walls of the room followed by burgundy leather furniture that had been set in certain areas. The fine black suited man relaxed within the tall chair, dark auburn strands had been pushed aside to allow him to see the portrait of a lovely brown haired lady with emerald eyes dressed in a pink sundress that hung above the blazing hearth.. 

"I miss you my funny Valentine." he murmured. Of course he had been referring to his dead wife that had died five years ago while giving birth to his daughter, Iris.

The knocking of the door broke the silence and Calum asked, "Yes?"

"A man responded to your ad." a female servant's voice could be heard on the other side of the door. "Show him in Matilda." he called in a friendly manner and stood politely to receive his future employee. 

The door had been opened to reveal a tall spiky blond haired young man dressed in a red trenchcoat, circular yellow sunglasses, and strong leather boots standing at the threshold. "Please come in, Mr?.." Calum paused in the middle of the sentence to allow his guest to finish the it with his name. "Vash the Stampede?" the man responded with a grin. 

Calum laughed at this reply heartily for he thought this gentleman could not be the dangerous outlaw he had heard about and said, "That is funny! You can use that to scare people on the job. Good tatic!" Vash looked to him in a puzzled manner and said, 

"I am honored to accept this position Mayor Bloodworth." 

"Tell me Mr. Vash. Are you good with children?" Calum asked. 

"Good with them? I love them to death!" he answered with enthusiasm. 

"Excellent! I have a little girl that needs protection and guidance while I am away on trips from time to time." Calum said cheerfully. "Is she a troublemaker?" he asked. 

"No, but clever and helpful around the house." he replied then paused for a moment. 

"Iris, won't you come out and say hello to your nanny?" Calum asked gently. 

Vash turned around to see a little girl with Calum's hair in pigtails that appeared to be five years old peeking past the threshold with the same aqua gaze. The girl hid out of their sight from behind the door and released a small gasp and her father chuckled. 

"It's all right, honey. He won't bite you." Calum assured her. The little voice behind the door said, "Okay, daddy..."

Both men grinned to see the little girl stepping into the room dressed in pink overalls, black MaryJane shoes, white T-shirt with her curly pigtails held back in pink ribbons.

Her gaze met Vash's eyes in her innocent fascination and walked closer to him

"Hello, Mr.Vash. I'm Iris Bloodworth." she managed to say despite her bashfulness.

"She has your eyes..."Vash said while kneeling down to observe Iris closely.

"Yes, but she's the spitting image of her mother." Calum added.

"I like your coat, Mr. Vash. It must be a big blanket for you." she commented. 

"It is like a blanket. Shouldn't **you** be in warmer clothes?" Vash asked. 

"No, I'm not cold but thanks for asking." she replied. "Iris honey, why don't you show your nanny the room that Matilda set for him?" Calum asked gently. 

"Okay daddy!" she agreed in a cheerful tone. "Please take my hand Mr. Vash so you won't get lost." Iris said and extended her tiny hand to him in anticipation. 

Vash looked to Calum with a nervous grin and he simply chuckled, 

"Didn't I tell you that she is helpful?" "Yes, a little **too** helpful," he remarked and allowed her tiny hand to grasp his leather gloved one "Alright lead the way, cutie pie."

Vash grew to like this little girl's charms and polite manners. Her auburn curls bounced with each step as she lead the way out of the study and down the long corridor decorated with tapestries. "So how old are you, Iris?" he asked her. "I'm five and a half years old. Daddy told me that I grow like a weed." she answered with a giggle. "Do you like dolls?" he asked. "No, they just **sit** there. But I'm making them **move** soon." she replied cheerfully. "What do you mean by making them move?" he asked once more. 

"Well, I'm adding parts to them so they can be **mech-an-i-cal**." she said as her eyes met his for a moment from her small height. Vash seemed surprised by her answer and thought _I'm not dealing with an average little girl, here. Its better to keep an extra close watch on her or her curiosity would be the death of her! _ "Making things out of junk must make you happy. I wish I had that talent." he said in disappointment. 

"We're here!" she exclaimed cheerfully as they stopped at the end of the hall. 

She opened the door to reveal a spacious yellow bedroom with a white bedspread covered in roses. "Sorry about the blanket. Daddy told me that guys don't like flowers very much." she apologized while looking to the floor in disappointment. "Are you kidding?! This is the best room I've had in a dog's age!" Vash exclaimed happily. In the midst of his mirth, he snatched Iris from the floor gently by her torso and hugged her. 

She giggled innocently, returned the hug, and said, "I hope you stay, Mr.Vash." 

"I hope so, too, my dear." he said softly with a yawn. "You need some nap time?" she asked. "I guess so." he said and gently placed her on the floor. She took his glasses and had set them upon the oak vanity by the door unexpectedly. This act surprised him for he never had a child take the role of care-giver towards him. "I'll take my nap now, mommy." he said in a child-like voice and threw himself on the bed. "Lift your legs so I can tuck you in." she said with a giggle. Vash obeyed her, allowed the warm blanket to cover his form, and tuck the edge of the blanket beneath his chin. "Thank you, mommy. I feel so warm." he said in the same voice. "Have a good nap, Mr Vash." she said with a grin and gave him a kiss on the forehead. He watched her sneak out of the room by her tiptoes through heavy eyelids. _She will make a good mother someday._ he thought before going to sleep.

The unusual nanny had a pleasant hour nap but that had been ended with the sound of Iris' high pitched screams. "Oh, crap!" he exclaimed and bolted out of bed at lightning speed. Vash followed her screams to the backyard of the mansion, preparing himself for the worse of any situation.. Once in the backyard, he saw a big man in a purple suit with a golden skull mask, equipped with an arsenal of cannons on his back and wrists. This deranged lunatic held Iris by her overall suspenders with the gun to her face. "LET GO OF ME!!!! DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU!!!" she shouted on the top of her lungs. 

"I will in time my little cuby doll." the man said in a cold voice. "PUT HER DOWN NOW!!!" Vash shouted angrily, with his gun pointed at him. "Shoot me and I'll make her **real** ugly." he replied in the same cold tone. "What do you want?" Vash asked sternly. "I want you dead. If you don't cooperate, I'll blow her head off." the man replied and shoved the pistol a little closer to her face. "You must be proud of yourself. Using little girls in your ploys makes you a **real man**." Vash said sharply. "SHUT UP, YOU ASSHOLE!!!" the man bellowed and started shooting several rounds in his direction. He rolled out of the way at top speed to dodge the bullets in a mad dash. "STAND STILL YOU-OWWWW!!!!!" he shouted and then bellowed in pain. In the midst of the shooting, Iris removed a mini blowtorch from one of her pockets and burned a hole into his hand. He dropped her to the ground involuntarily which gave her enough time to run off at top speed. Vash tackled the man to the ground with the gun to his face. "I suggest that you leave the premises at once." he said sternly while pulling the hammer back with a loud click. "We will meet again, Vash the Stampede! Damn you!" he growled under his breath and ran out the dusty backyard while clutching his burnt hand.. 

Iris ran to Vash with tears in her eyes, sobbing from the horrific ordeal. He knelt down to her level and hugged her close (after putting the gun in the holster of course!). 

"Shhhh...its okay...he's gone now..." he said gently. "I didn't want to give him an owie..." she said softly. "I know...but sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to do. I'm proud of you sweetie for standing up for yourself." he said as he wiped her tears away with the back of his hand. "Am I becoming a grown-up?" she asked and sniffled. "Yes, you are." he replied with a grin. "Thank you." she said and returned the hug.. "How about we go inside and you can show me your mechanical dolls?" he asked. "Okay and show you the way so..." she agreed and Vash finished her sentence, 

"So I won't get lost. Lead the way, Ms. Bloodworth."


	3. Padre Don't Preach

Trigun: Padre Don't Preach 3

Iris had awoken at the crack of dawn, releasing a long yawn at the stretch of her limbs.

"What a night..." she muttered, thumping her feet upon the floor carelessly. To her surprise, her host had been still asleep within his seat. She had to stifle her laughter to see his head tilted back, the mouth hung ajar with drool at the corner of his mouth, and a bubble that had increased and decreased at each soft snore he exhaled through the nose. Yet, she felt attached to him for a strange reason. The feeling had been brushed aside with her independence and made the decision to move on. _At least then he will not be caught in the crossfire for those who are after my bounty_ she thought rationally as her gaze met the floor. 

The heavy boots upon her feet scarcely made a sound as Iris walked to the sleeping Vash.

She summoned every last ounce of strength in her body to have his arms loop around her shoulders and drag him to the bed. "I warmed the spot for you, chocolate monster.." she whispered softly while settling him onto the bed as though he were a delicate China doll.

Another strange feeling attacked her psyche as her hands lifted the blanket and covered him. _Why do I feel like I've done this before? This is very unusual! _ she thought in her bewildered state. Her dark cloak and belt of weapons enveloped her form casually but the sound of Vash's mutterings made her freeze in her tracks for a moment. 

"Stop tickling me..." he muttered. She gave him a sideways glance over her left shoulder and released a sigh of relief to see that he was still asleep. _I can't leave the poor guy without a little memento at least. _she thought as a frown surfaced on her face.

In a moments notice, she removed a little yellow post-it pad and a pencil from one of her cloak pockets. The pencil scratched the parchment with the note stating:

DearVash,

I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye in person. We will meet again in the course of time. I wish you good luck on finding that trip down memory lane even if the ride could be bumpy. As a gift I am leaving you this piece of advice: With our thoughts we make the world. My gratitude could not be complete without a good breakfast.

Sincerely,

Iris Celeste Bloodworth

It had been twenty minutes since Iris had left the room shortly to obtain the necessary hotcakes on a silver platter. She stood silently near the long window during the food preparation by the hotel's cook in the restaurant area on the ground floor. 

Strange images of a ship in space flooded her mind. Of course being oblivious to the maids that gave her a few glances in the midst of their chores to maintain the spacious room of many fancily made tables decorated with white daisies resting in each blue vase. 

"Miss, the hotcakes are ready." a young maid with raven black hair said in a warm friendly manner. Iris grinned to the maid and said, "Thank you, Miss..?" She paused to hear the maid's name and her reply had been: "Damara." "Miss Damara, you are doing a good job and it must require a huge amount of talent to accomplish your chores gracefully." Damara blushed a bright red and looked to the blue carpeted floor in her modesty. "I'm not that good..." she managed to say. "I beg to differ, Miss Damara. Please prove me wrong by giving the clerk the money needed to pay for the food. Ten double dollars is your tip for such talented service." Iris said with a chuckle and gave the blushing maid the needed currency. "Yes, ma'am! Right away!" she exclaimed cheerfully and had performed the task. Damara watched this woman receive her plate of hotcakes from the cook with admiration. "Bye, Miss Damara. Keep up the damn good work!" Iris called to her as she left the room. 

Vash's door had been carefully opened in order not to disturb his slumber. 

She shuffled backwards quietly (Michael Jackson's moonwalk in Trigun? Yikes!) and placed the warm plate of hotcakes on the dining table. The note had been posted on the lid of the hotcakes and she looked to the sleeping Vash once more. Her host continued to sleep on the bed upon his right side with his pillow huddled close to his torso as if it were a teddy bear. A hand stroked his soft blond hair affectionately as she chuckled softly and whispered, "Goodbye, Vash. Take care of yourself, chocolate monster."

Iris left the room, being saddened to leave this gentle outlaw. Her heart sunk deeper with each step that descended the staircase towards the ground floor. She waved politely to the maids in the lobby that had uttered their pleasant farewells, especially to Damara.

The hotel's door had been pushed aside to reveal the serene setting of May City. 

Her boots scraped against the sandy surface of the terrain as a sad sigh had been exhaled despite the beauty of the day. The citizens did not seem to mind the outsider's presence in the town square. Young children played a round of four square near a fountain in the center of the area. 

"Excuse me, ma'am but could you help me tie my shoes?" a little boy's voice could be heard from behind her. Iris paused to face the sandy blond haired boy dressed in a white shirt and brown cotton pants. His light green eyes met hers from his 3ft height. 

"Sure, but I would rather **teach **you than **help** you." she said and gestured to the bench stationed near the fountain. The boy obeyed this gesture and they had sat upon the bench together. "What's your name, boy?" she asked. "Ignacious. Iggy for short." he answered. "Okay Iggy. Are you ready for the lesson?" she asked as her hand grasped his left foot and placed it in her lap. "I'm ready!" he said with determination and observed her hands closely. "First you need to give the laces a good **tug.**" she said and tugged each of them firmly. "Then what?" he asked anxiously. "I'm going to tell you a story with these laces. It will help you the next time you tie them." she replied with grin.

Iris paused for a moment to see a shadow of a huge cross and a man smoking a cigarette that stretched before her. This man's presence gave her reassurance that he would not cause trouble and continued with the lesson. "Once upon a time there had been a prince and a princess that loved each other very much and they would dance together every day..." she said and crossed the laces with a tug. "Ugh, mushy stuff!" Iggy complained.   
"Soon you will like it when you are older, kiddo. One day, a horrible troll kidnapped the princess and took her under his tree." she said with a chuckle and created the first loop.

"What about the prince? Doesn't he find her?" he asked. "Of course he does. 

He searched the forest for her day and night. She screamed for help from inside the tree." she replied as the other lace encircled the first loop. The man from behind her chuckled slightly, she brushed it off, and concluded her story. "The prince dove into the tree, killed the troll, and rescued the princess with courage. Both of them lived happily ever after." she said as the other lace had been pushed beneath the criss-cross, creating the perfect bow. 

Iggy began to tie his other shoe and recited the story to himself with each step.

"That's a creative way of teaching, miss." the man from behind her said in good humor.

"I do what I can to help." Iris said, modestly. Footsteps crunched the sand as the man departed from the fountain and stepped in front of her. He had been a handsome man that had light tan skin, short raven hair dressed in a suit of black with silver crosses for cufflinks. "I can see that. You can **help** by telling me your name." he said with a smile.

"My name is Iris Bloodworth. What's yours?" she asked as a hand had been extended to him. "Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Its nice to meet someone named after the rainbow goddess. She was one of my favorites." he said and shook her hand politely. 

"Oh, thank you..." she replied with a blush. "Urgh...**more** mushy stuff!" Iggy complained once again. Wolfwood and Iris laughed like innocent children with blushing cheeks.

"I'll leave you two **aloooooone**." he added teasingly while making a few kissy faces in their direction. The boy ran off to join the other children, laughing merrily.

"So Iris, are you a resident here?" Wolfwood asked. "No. Unfortunately, I don't stay in one place for very long." she replied. "Are you on a mission?" he asked again. 

"Yes, you can say that. I am disgusted by the suffering on this planet and I wanted to do something about it." she answered. Of course this person was a man of the cloth and Iris could not fib to him. Her current status as an outlaw had been risking that line of honesty and that had been the only answer she could muster. ."That is a very noble mission. 

You are only one person against the world. Do you not feel the least bit hopeless?" he asked. "At times...but...with every action there is a reaction. Take a look." Iris objected, confidently with a jerk of her right thumb.

Wolfwood looked in that direction that she had indicated and watched Iggy give an old lady in shabby clothes a muffin. "Well, I'll be damned..." he said; being dumbfounded, 

"Your action is enlightenment and my reaction is an invitation to breakfast. 

What do you say?" "Thank you, I accept. You flatter me too much, Mr. Priest." she said with another blush. ."Get used to it." he said with another chuckle. He offered his hand to her in a gentleman manner. She accepted this gesture by grasping his hand and helped her lift herself from the bench. "You must be exhausted by lugging that cross around. Need a break?" she asked. "That is if you can lift it." he said with smirk. 

"Certainly." she said in the same confident tone. One of the arms of the cross rested on her right shoulder as a hand supported the cross from the bottom most strap she could reach and the other grasped the other arm of the cross in order to stabilize the balance. "How cute!" he exclaimed with his hands in his pockets. "What's so cute?" she asked in a puzzled manner. "You look like a little ant carrying a watermelon!" he replied in laughter. "Oh rub it in..." she said with a roll of her eyes. "The ants go marching one by one...hurrah! hurrah! The ants go marching one by one...hurrah! hurrah!" he sang while marching in place. "Company halt!" she exclaimed in laughter. "Ma'am, yes ma'am. Let's go to the saloon down the street." Wolfwood said. The two fast friends walked down the street together towards the saloon without hesitation.

The moment had been harmonious on their trip but it had been cut short by the time they had stepped over the threshold of the saloon. _So I finally get to meet Valentine's little girl. The resemblance is ridiculously striking._ a male's mocking voice said inside her brain. Iris stopped in her tracks in surprise by the message that had been uttered as though it had been her own conscience that spoke to her. She felt intruded by this presence invading her personal mental space as she frowned in irritation.

"Something wrong?" Wolfwood asked as he looked over to her from over his shoulder. "No, Mother Nature decided to raise her voice and I have to answer it in the bathroom." she said casually with a small chuckle. "Okay do what you have to do." he said. 

She walked past a few young men playing poker at their table in the saloon and entered the bathroom quietly. _Who are you? Why are you in my head? If you have something to say, spit it out!_ she thought aggressively. _Such spirit being wasted on the human race. Can you not set your standards a tad bit higher? _the voice said with disappointment. 

__

I must **know** the standards first before raising them. Why did you mention my mother the first time you spoke to me? Did you two have unresolved issues? If you so then why are you wasting **your** time with me?! she thought in the same tone of voice. _I expected your sensory perception to be strong and it is impressive. And yes, your mother and I did have **unresolved issues**._ _Your mother's marital status to your father had been inexcusable towards our cause. _ _I am offering you a proposal to allow you to be put under our guidance. _he explained. Iris found it hard to believe from what she had heard from this unseen voice. She distrusted this man's presence and knew that if the proposal had been accepted then he would use her as a puppet for a dangerous cause. _Sir, I respectively decline from your offer. _she thought firmly in a polite manner. _Foolish little girl...It is your human half that makes you ignorant of the possibilities._ he said in disappointment.

The ground began to rumble beneath her feet after the unseen voice finished his sentence.

Water within the toilet bowl of the open stall began to vibrate during each audible thump in the distance. She felt another dangerous energy force from a different presence approach the saloon. "He has a way of persuading people." she muttered sarcastically stepping out of the bathroom. The patrons bolted out of the door in a rush to see the source of the rumbling. "Bloodworth! We would like a word with you!" a southern-accented woman's voice shouted from outside. "Oh no...Not **her** again..."she muttered in disbelief with a shake of her head. "What's going on Iris?! Talk to me!" Wolfwood demanded from behind her. "Please don't be presumptuous. I'll explain the **details** later, but now I suggest that you evacuate half the citizens to the other side of town," Iris said quietly with a sigh, "It **could** get ugly." 

"Very well. May God protect you and keep you." he said quietly with a hand upon her head. "Thank you, Father." she said solemnly. Wolfwood and Iris stepped out of the saloon to gaze upon a behemoth of a purple haired woman dressed in a leather dress and boots standing at thirty five feet! This giantess had another woman with curly blond hair in a black leather dress standing on her right shoulder proudly. "Long time no see, Bloodworth! You haven't changed abit!" the lady on her shoulder shouted. 

Iris ignored her and snapped at Wolfwood to her left, "What are you waiting for?! 

Get these people **out** of here!" "All right!" he shouted in surprise and obeyed her. 

Wolfwood ran past the giantess and shouted at the top of his lungs: 

"LISTEN UP PEOPLE!!!! GET OUT OF THE BUILDINGS AND TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN!!!! HUSTLE NOW!!!! FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY!!!"

Men, women, and children had departed from the buildings in haste with Wolfwood urging them to run faster. After he had successfully completed that chore, she grinned and said softly, "Thanks Wolfwood..." 

Iris walked slowly to the center of the street, being prepared for this battle. 

The wind ruffled her dark cloak and auburn hair as she stood serenely in the face of the danger that this dangerous duo impeded. "Are you not the least bit shaken? You **should be** since we are about to even the **score.**" the lady on her shoulder said spitefully. 

"It's not my fault that you are a sore loser, Ms. Nebraska. This time you have brought your mommy to help solve your problems." Iris said sharply. "You have brought me down once but this time it is **you** that is going down!" she shouted angrily. 

Mother Nebraska withdrew a foot, ready to kick Iris like a soccer ball. 

She stepped out of range, withdrew her blade, made a dash between her legs, and severed the left Achilles tendon with one swoop in her jump! Blood gushed from the wound in a scarlet spray that splattered the sandy ground. Iris' form landed on the ground in a graceful pivot with her sword held in front of her, taking the defensive position. 

"You will also learn that the bigger they are, the harder they fall!' she shouted. 

She telepathically felt the pain in her left ankle, but allowed the anger and the adrenaline numb it as her own form of anesthetic. . 

Mother Nebraska began to weep in her physical suffering, falling to ground with a tremendous thud, shaking the buildings as though they were attempting to dance the rumba. "Mother!!! What has that little bitch done to you?!" she cried with gushing tears. 

"Oh you say bitch like its a bad thing." Iris said with a wave of her hand. 

"DAMN YOU!!!" she bellowed and withdrew a pistol from beneath her skirt.

The six rounds had been fired from her gun but she stopped in her tracks to witness Iris slice the bullets within the air. In a swirl of silver, the bullet halves littered the ground. Gunpowder seemed to form into a sulfuric mist in the atmosphere which gave an eerie setting for Ms. Nebraska's opponent. "Are you done?" Iris asked sternly. She could not find the strength to retreat for her legs had been temporarily paralyzed with fear. "How...can this be...it's not...possible..." she said in shock. "Are you going to come along quietly or do I have to make you streak in front of all of May?" she said in the same tone. She raised her hands into the air and stammered, "I-I-I give up." 

"March!" she commanded.

It had been five minutes since Wolfwood waited for his new friend in front of the local church at the other side of town. He leaned against the wall of the dusty church with his bent cigarette between his lips, ignoring the murmur of the crowd of worried citizens. 

Damara's shouts of joy pierced the concerned atmosphere: "The woman did it! 

She apprehended the Nebraska family!" The priest shifted his brown eyes to his right to see Iris escorting the sobbing Marie Nebraska at sword point towards the town's small law enforcement station. With a shake of his head, he said, "I don't who is crazier...**her **or **Vash**." He inhaled the fine tobacco from the cigarette then exhaled the gray smoke between his teeth as he smiled and added, "But I have to admit...**both **are equally good."


	4. Reunion of Friends and Foes

Trigun: Reunion of Friends and Foes 4 

Wolfwood traveled in his green jeep with his new friend that just happened to be female in the blazing hot desert. He traveled the rough sandy terrain with scruffy migrant workers that smelled of sweat and car oil on buses or cattle cars but never with a woman! 

Her doll-like face had been pleasant to his eyes as well as the musk perfume! The priest had been grown accustomed to women acting feminine by wearing elegant dresses, make-up, raising their noses to the air in disgust, complaining of unpleasantness, and not daring to grasp a weapon. Iris had never did those actions that fell into the category of "feminine"! Her actions of courage and cunning were an intrigue to this man and wanted know what made her a free thinking individual. 

His questions of curiosity were asked one hot afternoon as their jeep had been set in motion. Wolfwood's dark gaze shifted to Iris; observing her form being slouched within her seat, the arms crossed, the booted feet resting on the dash board, the head facing the sky with rose colored glasses shielding her eyes from the blazing suns. 

"You look relaxed..." he remarked with a grin. "Yeah, just staring off into space." she replied with a sigh. "I see... Do you see anything interesting in the sky?" he asked while turning the jeep to the right to dodge a boulder. "A few dust particles and petals floating about ten feet in the atmosphere but nothing **remotely** interesting." she answered and turning her head to face Wolfwood. "I think it would be more interesting for me to have heard the **details **you promised back in May City." he hinted. "Are you sure you would like to hear them? It is a sad story." she asked. "Every **detail** so spill your guts!" he said firmly. "Okay...but don't blame me when the tears start flow..." she warned..

Iris started her story with a heavy sigh and explained how she became an outlaw.

She told him of her peaceful life as the mayor's daughter in October City. 

Her daily activities consisted of learning the arts, sciences, carpentry, mechanics, code of conduct for a lady. She admitted to had been secretly learning combat skills, target shooting, and going to saloons to play poker with shady characters to rebel against her constraining life. The rebellious side of her took its toll when she fell in love with a boy that was the son of a wealthy liquor eutropeneur who had disapproved of their union. 

Iris blushed at the confession of sneaking out of the house to meet her forbidden lover and their secret wedding. Unfortunately, her father-in-law had discovered their the wedding and murdered her father and attempted to eliminate Iris in the midst of the ceremony. It had been tragic as her husband shoved her out of the path of the bullets and took the blows in the chest and abdomen, also the priest who had been conducting the ceremony. She fled the chapel and the father-in-law placed a bounty on her head. 

He slandered her reputation and told the authorities that she had been responsible for the death of his son. "That is why I do not stay in one place for very long. I did not lie to you about my goal to change the world because I did help people on my travels. Not to mention this open desert is a better confessional booth than the crowded city." she added to the conclusion of her dramatic story. After hearing the desired details of her story, Wolfwood did not know how to react! He felt sorrow for the loss of her loved ones and concern that this murderous man is still in the pursuit to end her life. _No wonder she does not talk about herself. It does explain everything._ he thought as few tears surfaced within his eye sockets. The jeep halted to a screeching stop. Iris tilted her head in curiosity and Wolfwood hugged her close with tears that trickled down his tanned face. She became stiff and wide-eyed with surprise within his unexpected embrace. "I am so sorry, my child. It must have been so hard for you. Sometimes the Lord can be so cruel!" he said while sobbing. Iris reached into her right pocket and offered him a silky white handkerchief covered in red roses. "Here, please don't cry. I don't want any pity because you're not responsible for what he did." she said softly. The priest took the handkerchief, wiped the tears away and returned it to her hands. "Thank you...Even though I'm a **guy**...I can **still** bawl like a baby." he said with sheepish grin. "It's okay. I think it's healthy. Besides it depends on **what **you are crying about that matters." she said with a grin while patting his back. "You're sweet, Iris..." he said and restarted the engine.

Wolfwood also had been concerned for her posture and asked, "Isn't it bad for your posture in **that** position?" "Not really. I only do it when I'm **not** in a crowded place." she replied. "It is good that you pick the right time and place to do it but sitting up straight is still the best thing to do." he objected. "That may be true but I like to relax. If we had lawnchairs in the jeep then I **might** reconsider my posture." she objected as well.

"You do make a persuasive argument. **Could** you at least do it just this **once**?" he asked.

He turned to face her with that innocent puppy dog expression, hoping it would phase her feminine weakness for any form of being adorable. Iris' face seemed to express her contemplation by furrowing her brows. "Weeeeeeell....Maybe under **one** condition..." she said with a pointed finger. "And what's that?" he asked. "That you reject cigarettes for a **full** twenty four hours. Let's say you were **unsuccessful** with the condition and smoked a cigarette...then I can **slouch** freely at **any** given time without any **complaints.** The same vice versa, if I slouch then you can **smoke** freely at any given time." she explained the procedure with confidence. "Why are you setting that condition for?!" he asked in surprise. "It seems that you have forgotten what we have in common, Wolfwood. We **both** have bad habits that are considerable to reject." she answered in the same tone. "That does seem fair enough....Damn you and your cunning..." he complained while facing the road. "Can I help it if I have a brain?" Iris asked with a chuckle.

The ground began to rumble from beneath the wheels of their vechile. Again, Wolfwood brought it to a screeching halt by slamming his foot violently upon the brake pedal.

"It had better not be a sand worm..." Iris muttered while standing upon the floor board.

She frowned as a huge tube of brown flesh that had been five feet in diameter bursted forth from the scorching hot sand, releasing a roar of a thousand lions. 

"Looks like you spoke to soon." Wolfwood remarked and withdrew the covered cross from the bed of the jeep. In a twinkling of an eye, the cloth had been released from the bound straps and to her amazement the cross had been fashioned into a tremendous firearm. The priest pointed the barrel to were the cross foundation lied at the worm and shot the worm numerous times along its body. He paused to hear her groan out : "Argh!!!.." His eyes shifted to observe Iris hunched with a hand to her back and grimace in pain. ""Iris! Are you all right?!" he shouted in a panic. "Never mind about me! All that worm wants to do is nap and we woke it up! We need to stun it and send it back to its slumber spot!" she shouted, impatiently. "How did you know this?" he asked with a dumbfounded expression. "I just know. Keep him busy and I'll sing him my own lullaby." she said with a wicked grin. She grabbed the jeep's windshield and performed a leap-frog jump over the vechile's hood. Her boots plunged into the ground with a soft crunching into the sand. Wolfwood began to make funny faces into the worm's direction and led the angry creature on a merry chase. Iris took the opportunity generously by running beside the slithering body, jumping on the back and withdrawing a bottle of chloroform from her left leg pocket. "Keep it up, Wolfwood! You're doing great!" she shouted in approval. "Oh I feel much better!" he shouted in a sarcastic manner. The same handkerchief had been removed from her right hip pocket and soaked it with the necessary liquid. "Time to go back to sleep, big guy!" she shouted while running on the back of the worm. With a shout, the drenched handkerchief had been thrown onto the worm's face. Its round head thrashed vigorously to express its anguish.

Wolfwood stopped in his tracks to see the worm's movements begin to move at a slow pace. Iris removed the handkerchief from the worm's face, leaped from its back and landed with another soft thud. He watched the worm sink into the terrain's depths and then looked to see his friend smiling triumphantly. "Thank you! That was some **quick** thinking!" he commented. "I couldn't have done it without **you**. If **you** were not there to keep him busy then I would have been **lunch** in an **instant**." she objected. "I wonder if you would have been tasty..." he muttered with a grin. "What?" she asked with a raised brow. "Oh..nothing...I just said I would like to eat something tasty because I'm starving." he said quickly. She gave him a cold stare and said, "Okay you do that. Just avert your eyes while I am changing my clothes." 

The priest removed a slender granola bar from his coat pocket and had a difficult period of resisting his masculine nature to gaze upon an unclothed woman. He gritted his teeth nervously as he heard the shirt rustle in the wind during the removal. _Try not to look...try not to look...you know she's dangerous...so don't think you can just get away with measley a smack on the face! _ he mentally warned himself. His hunger for the granola bar had been nothing compared to what he had been resisting. _Maybe just a little peek..._he thought and turned to look over his left shoulder. He beheld the sight of her bare back, the slender form impressed him but the skin had been devastating! The skin displayed several round bruises and a deep slash scar that had been made at diagonal direction across her spine. "How's the granola bar?" she asked casually while unzipping the bag that resided upon the jeep's bed. His eyes turned away immediately and answered, "It's pretty good. Not as good as chocolate." "That's nice. How about I can share a few of my smores later on?" she asked. "Sure." he agreed. The scar and bruises made him ponder upon more untold details of her past. _Maybe another reason behind her non talkative behavior is that she had been abused by someone. It could be another guy who did not take rejection well..._he thought then furrowed his brows in deep anger, _ If I meet this guy I'll beat the living shit out of him!!! _ "Okay you can look now!" she called cheerfully.. Wolfwood released a sigh of relief and turned to look to Iris wearing a new white collared long sleeved shirt. "You look better. Let's go to the next town." he said with a smile. The two of them hopped into the jeep and sped off to their destination...

After three hours of traveling, the town they had arrived in had been anything but pleasant! There had been townspeople that had started a riot by firing guns with shouts of: "We almost had the bastard!" or "Whose idea was it to use the grenade?! He can't be identified for the reward if he's a pile of pulp, you dumbass!" Both Iris and Wolfwood frowned at this sight. "You need to work on your concealment, Vash..." she muttered softly. "What?" he asked, being puzzled. "Nothing...I'll go find this person and put him or her in a good hiding place at the local bakery. You go keep the townspeople pacified and meet me there until you are successful." she said firmly. He turned to face her with his question of : 'How did you know this?' but could not since she seemed to have disappeared out of thin air....

Iris knew she had to act quickly to find Vash. Her heart began to beat violently against her ribs as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop in a rapid yet stealth fashion. _Hang in there, Vash! I'm coming! _she repeated mentally. She stopped suddenly upon the thin thread of the clothesline and squinted her eyes to search for Vash's aura. The red glowing lights scattered about the town's landscape belonged to the anxious townspeople searching for their target. A grin surfaced as she noticed a bright glowing frightened yellow aura several feet away entering an alley. "I found you..." she whispered. With a leap, her hands grasped a chicken weathervane, spun around to gain enough momentum and released her grip to allow her body to be flung several meters to the next building. 

Iris peeked over the edge to notice Vash entering a wooden crate to conceal himself. 

She chuckled at this and performed a somersault, landing upon the ground in a squat position. "Peekabo...I see you..." she said playfully while standing erect. 

"Don't hurt me!!!" he shouted in fright. "Why would I do that? It would not be very nice for a friend of yours to do." she said calmly. "Iris?!" he exclaimed with surprise. 

He emerged from the crate with a stern expression on his face. "Iris! Don't you ever scare me like that again!" he shouted. "Oh lighten up, dandelion! I came to get you out of this mess. If you stay calm and cooperate then maybe...**just maybe**...you won't have to spend the night in a **jail cell**." she said firmly. "But there are people **everywhere** looking for me! I've never seen **so many** pissed off people! It's impossible!" he protested. 

"It's alright. That part is already been taken care of, Vash. You are such a worry wart." she said with a giggle. "Me? A worry wart? I was calm the whole time!" he said with blushing cheeks. "Suuuuure you were. Now hold onto my hand so you won't turn astray." she said and extended her slender palm. _This brings back memories_ he thought sarcastically and grasped her hand. 

Again, Iris fled the area in the same cat-like grace with Vash in tow. It impressed her that he followed her movements perfectly with every foot fall. "You're a good student after all! I'll give this an A plus." she commented in mid jump. "Aaaaaawwww stop flattering me..." he said and blushed once more. After jumping at a thirty foot distance, they treaded along a brick wall of the back loading lot of the bakery. "We're here and **try **not to attract attention..." she said impatiently. "I will not attract attention. Cross my heart and hope to die." he said with a finger tracing over his chest in an x-pattern and performed a salute. Iris frowned at this and thought _I hope that won't happen..._

They jumped from the wall in perfect unison and walked quietly to the bakery's back door. "I'll go listen for anyone inside the building." he whispered. Vash tiptoed comically to the door and pressed his ear upon the surface with closed eyes. After what seemed to be two minutes, he said, "It's dead silence in there." "Okay, let's go inside and lay low for awhile. The bakery is a least likely place that they'll find you." she whispered. He opened the door, gestured to the entrance and said, "Ladies first."

"Alright, if you insist." she said and stepped inside. 

Vash and Iris and entered the back room of the bakery quietly with their boots scraping the rough floor matt. Both of them groped their way into the darkness into order to navigate in the room. "Ow! That was my head!" Iris exclaimed and rubbed the back of her cranium. "Oops...Sorry, rainbow girl..." he said sheepishly. "You stay put. I'm going to feel along the walls for a switch." she said firmly. "Alright, but don't let the boogie man get you." he teased. "Yes daddy." she remarked. He heard her hands brush against the wall paper. "Found anything yet?" he asked. "Yeah, I found a switch but its not working," she said with a sigh, "But I found an old lantern!" "Good! Bring it here and I'll light it!" he said cheerfully. She presented the lantern to him and held it steady while he withdrew a zippo from one of his pockets and lit the wick. The flame from within its glass prison illuminated the room in a dull golden glow. "At least we can see our hands in front of our faces." she said in condescending manner. "Yeah, and I won't bonk you on the head again." he said and patted her scalp. "It's alright. At least you didn't do it on purpose." she said with a grin. Her eyes shifted to her left and the lips began to twitch in fright. "What's wrong? You're shaking like a leaf." he said with concern.

Iris extended a quivering arm and pointed toward the object of her fear. Vash turned to look in the direction and widened his eyes in horror to see a skeleton clad in an apron and chef's hat sitting at an office desk! "Scaaaaaarrrrriiiieeeee!!!!" he screamed in fright and held on to her. Her hand immediately covered his mouth and whispered in irritation:

"Do you want the whole world to hear you?!" He shook his head to indicate "no",

"Good then let's **quietly** exit this room shall we?" she asked and removed her hand from his mouth. Both them departed from the room to explore the next one to find it filled with ovens and cooking utensils. "It seems like this place was forgotten. I heard that they sold the best donuts on the planet in here." Vash said in disappointment. "Also fancy birthday and wedding cakes." Iris added with a gloomy sigh. "I think this **is **the best place to hide. No one would ever think to look in a spooky place like this." he said and shivered slightly. "Are you cold?" she asked with concern. "I just felt a slight chill go by me. It's nothing to worry about." he assured her. "Alright but we better not let our guard down for a second." she said.

Vash sat against the wall with bent legs and said, "In the meantime we need **something **to do in order to kill time." "Do you have any ideas?" she asked. "Well, we could play truth or dare with dice." he suggested and removed a pair of dice from one of his coat pockets. "Oh yeah! I remember the rules for this game! Whoever roles **even number** dice gets the truth from the other person. The **odd numbers** allow the person to challenge the other with a dare." she grinned while sitting across from him with folded legs. "And of course ladies go first." he said and placed the dice into her open palm. "Okay you asked for it!" she said and vigorously shook the dice in a closed fist. The dice fell to hard cement floor with little chinks at their release. One cube displayed a 2 and the other displayed a 6. "Truth: What bad habit do you have that is concealed from the world?" she asked. "You just had to ask that one..." he muttered, "Sometimes when I'm stressed about something I sleep on my stomach with my rear elevated." "That's not really that bad," she said with a chuckle, "I've known nail-biters and nose-pickers." "That's good to hear. At least I'm not alone." he said and lifted the dice from the floor. He simply allowed the dice to fall to the floor and watched them roll to separate directions upon the surface. A grin surfaced to see a 5 on one cube and 3 on the other. "Dare: I dare you to perform the most funniest voice you can do." he said. "You can't be serious..." she complained. "Come on..." he coaxed. "Here goes nothing..." she muttered. The different voice Iris acquired seemed like a cross between a chipmunk and a toddler: "What should I say to this? I'm not a professional entertainer." He laughed hysterically and said, "That was more cute than funny." "Oh gee thanks..." she muttered with blushing cheeks. "You're welcome, rainbow girl." he retorted. 

Vash's face went from joyful to panic-stricken and yelled, "GET DOWN!!!!" His body leapt upon her form and shielded her from the ceiling that caved in due to loud massive gunfire. After the roof stopped falling to the floor, he breathed heavily and shouted, "Iris?! Iris, are you okay?!" "I'm fine...What about you?" she asked softly as he sat on his hunches. "Give me awhile and I will be." he replied with a sheepish grin. "You rest up for awhile. I'll go see who did this and report back in less than a minute..." she said firmly and dashed out of the door before Vash could object. "She **never** ceases to **stop** and **listen** to me. First the hotel and now **this. ** I'll have to scold her **later**." he muttered softly while pulling himself from the rubble. 

Moments later; he heard her shout from the entrance as she ran into the room; "Vash! You won't believe who did it! It's a walking arsenal in a golden skull mask with the sanity of a gerbil!" "A skull mask, huh? Sounds familiar..." he said to himself with a hand to his chin. "You know this guy?" she asked. "Yeah, and again my memory is still fuzzy..." he said with a frown, "but before we work together and apprehend this nut ball... I have something important to say." "I'm listening..." she said. "Thank you for everything. For the pancakes, the jokes, and especially that piece of advice that you left behind." "Oh...you're welcome. I guess I spoiled you too much, huh?" she asked with blushing cheeks. "Yes, you did...So what's the game plan for this guy?" he asked. 

It seemed like ten seconds of serious thought and Iris raised herself upon her tiptoes and whispered the plan in his ear between cupped hands. She stood normally to see a wicked smile upon Vash's face and he lowered himself to her level and whispered into her ear,

"I love your style, rainbow girl." Both of them giggled mischievously and snuck out of the demolished building....

The "walking arsenal" had been satisfied that the citizens of the town had either fled to their hiding places or laying upon the ground bleeding from the gun shots he projected freely from his massive barrels. Certainly being oblivious to the devious duo that surveyed him closely from their secluded areas with their piercing aqua eyes...observing their prey. He heard an eerie voice that sound feminine sing: "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha goin' to do...A whatcha goin' to do? A whatch goin' to do when they come for you?" The madman froze within his tracks, attempting to pinpoint the source of the sound but had been distracted by another voice: "Bad boys get punished." an eerie male voice said. "Bad boys get hurt." the female voice chimed. "Bad boys lose their shirt!" the male voice said. What seemed to be only two seconds the man saw a flash of silver being illuminated by the dual moonlight and the next two seconds passed to allow his clothes to fall to the sandy ground in shreds! "COME ON OUT AND FIGHT ME YA BASTARDS!!!" he shouted in fright and anger. The man shouted maniacally while spinning about like a drunken ballet dancer releasing a hot-leaded meteor shower into random buildings. "That should shut you up!" he shouted and laughed heartily. It had only been ten seconds of dead silence and he heard the crunching of several footsteps that came from either directions. He saw a red headed lady in a white shirt, black cargo pants with two Desert Eagle .50 s in each of her hands that had shot searing hot bullets into his each of his shoulders and arms, and the same type of pain being buried into the flesh of his legs and buttocks from behind him! "**Now**, the conversation is over!" she shouted angrily with her guns pointed at him. The man continued to stare at her in his painful stupor. "It's you...That little girl...You did this to..me..." he said and slowly displayed his burn scar that resembled a red ring that surrounded the hole. within his palm. _He can't be the same guy that gave me those nightmares sixteen years ago...Can he? _she thought with a bewildered expression on her face. "Iris don't let him out of your sight. Keep him here and don't let him get away." Vash urged her. "I won't...Now that I **know** who he is, he's not going **anywhere**!" she said sternly. "You're out of bullets, little girl...And I'm out of patience! I came to exterminate you two for my boss and I'm not going to delay him any further!" he shouted. Iris smirked and giggled with a shake of her head. "What so god damn funny, bitch?!" the madman shouted. "First off you shouldn't call people names and second do you really **think** you can **out-smart** **us**?" she asked calmly and with a twinkling of an eye, a small brown bottle had been tossed into the air. Vash shot the bottle in mid air and allowed the liquid to shower upon the man and put him to sleep instantly. "Good night, sweetheart...." Iris said sarcastically. All in a days work for Iris and Vash this time as a team!


	5. Happy Birthday Milly

Trigun: Happy Birthday Milly! 5

It had been many days since Vash and Iris' successful citizen's arrest. The hours were spent performing odd jobs in the Rockerfeller Saloon. Their payment had been decent for fifty double dollars a day and receiving free food as their discount. Iris had earned her reputation to be labeled the "feisty waitress" due to an incident with an intoxicated elderly man. The patrons seemed surprised to have the hand that impermissibly grasped her left buttock be twisted at a forty-five degree angle, and a small fist that collided into his jaw like a hammer with several teeth that fell to the floor. Vash had been grateful that she had injured him or he could have gave a worse punishment. Escorting him from the premises and giving the customers a firm warning by stating: "Touch her and **I'll **be less merciful.", gave him enough satisfaction.

Their duties consisted of serving drinks, cleaning the floors, waxing the counters, cleaning the glass. There had been times when the place was extremely dull and Vash played several cheerful tunes on the piano to attract customers to the saloon Occasionally, Wolfwood visited them at work and helped Vash in a duet with his harmonica that he kept in his jacket. Iris had been too shy to accept the offer to perform in their "band" but watched and listened to the beautiful songs they played with their instruments.

One day the men had been conspiring together in the men's bathroom. "Do you hear that, Vash?" Wolfwood asked while in the midst of shaving in the mirror. "No, what am I supposed to hear?" Vash asked with a raised brow. "Listen to the backwall and you'll hear it." he said and wiped the shaving cream off the skin with a rag. He obeyed him and pressed his ear against the wall to hear a faint voice singing: "I'm back in baby's arms. How I miss those lovin' arms...I'm back where I belong. Back in baby's arms." 

"That can't be Iris. It sounds so soft...." he said in disbelief. "It is her. I say we play a little prank of our own.." he said with a wicked grin. "It had better be harmless!" Vash said firmly. "Don't worry. No girl will be harmed in the making of this prank." he assured him. "Okay so what's the plan?" he asked. "Well..." he said and told him the plan....

Iris seemed to relieved to be staying in one place for the time being. She was not disgusted of cleaning the puddle of spilt liquor with the wet mop in the back office of the saloon and sang in the duration of the chore. In the midst of squeezing the mop within its compression chamber, she heard Vash say from behind her: "Dinner will be ready in twelve minutes." "Thanks Vash, I'm almost done." she said and gave him a smile. 

She continued to sing merrily while finishing the chore and had returned the equipment to the storage closet. 

She hummed the song beneath her breath with the huge jug of Wild Turkey and had been surprised with the number of customers in the lobby that arrived in a short amount of time. There had been murmurs of: "Come on! We wanna hear the girl sing again!" or "Have her sing a few more bars at least!" Vash and Wolfwood stepped forward from the crowd and Wolfwood said, "No band can not be complete without a singer." Iris gave him a severe scowl and said, "You planted a microphone didn't you?!" "No, I didn't. I just hooked up the speakers." he replied and laughed heartily. "YOU DID WHAT?!!!" Iris yelled in her embarrassment and anger. "Uh-ooooooh..." the men said in unison. She did not want hurt them but had instead gave them a stinky shower by soaking them down with the liquid with a swing of the open jug. The customers laughed at their predicament as they blushed in embarrassment and watched her storm out of the saloon. 

"I think we deserved that." Vash muttered and entered the men's room with Wolfwood following. "She'll get over it. Iris is not one to hold a grudge." Wolfwood said with a chuckle. "But one hell of a temper." he added. The two of them cleaned their faces and dried their drenched hair with the rags that hung on the rails installed in the walls. 

What had awaited them on the other side of the door had nothing short of pleasant. 

Vash recoiled in horror to see a short woman dressed in a white dress, blue pants, white boots, and a white cloak with her dark blue hair in a crop that wore a stern expression and a tall woman dressed in a green and brown cloak with long light brown hair trailing past her shoulders with a pleasant smile. "The insurance girls! Damn it! I thought you lost me!" he shouted in frustration. Wolfwood looked to Vash and to the women and commented, "You have good navigational skills to find this guy!" "Don't encourage them Wolfwood." he said. "This is **your **battle, dandelion. It's not for **me** to decide who wins." Wolfwood objected. "Don't **call** me that!" he shouted. "See ya, I hope you come back in one piece." Wolfwood said and departed from the saloon with a chuckle. 

"He's right you know." the short woman said. "Oh come off it, Meryl. All I want is to be left alone." he said with a frown. "The name dandelion fits you like a glove, Vash. But, we can't leave you alone because it's our job." the tall woman said politely. 

:"You can't deny your duties can't you?" he asked with a sigh. "Nope, and we will watch you like a hawk." Meryl said firmly. "Or a vulture..." he muttered. "What was that?!" she shouted. "Oh nothing..." he replied innocently. "I'm going outside for awhile." the tall woman said. "Okay don't be long Milly." Meryl said. "Alright..." she said left the saloon in trudging pace.

Milly had always been the woman with the sunny disposition but this occasion had been different. Her baby blue eyes always took in the vibrant environment but they were partially covered with heavy eyelids. The tears flowed freely upon her soft cheeks as she settled herself upon the bench in a slumped position and faced the sandy ground. 

__

I can't believe she forgot my birthday...Maybe she thought so much of the job and did not bother to plan for it...she thought with a sniffle Five minutes passed and her thoughts were interrupted with a woman's voice that spoke softly: "What's with the waterworks, kiddo?" The baby blue eyes traveled from the ground to identify a red-headed lady with her hair in a braid dressed in a green off the shoulder ruffled blouse and black cargo pants standing before her. "It's nothing. I don't want to share my troubles with a stranger." she answered with a sheepish grin. "Well then we can fix that. I'm Iris Bloodworth." she said. "Milly Thompson." she said and grinned despite her tears. "I bet you're crying for a good reason. Nobody can be upset unless it was something very painful." Iris said. "That's true. I think you might have better things to do." Milly said and turned away with another sniffle. "I've got all the time in the world, Milly. Mind if I sit with you?" she asked. "Sure, go ahead." she said. Iris sat at Milly's right side and tilted her head in concern. "Just let me guess...someone had forgotten something very important to you. Like a birthday?" she asked. "How did you know?!" Milly exclaimed with surprise.

"It's a gift." she replied casually. "Tell me Ms. Bloodworth, why did you stop to talk to **me**? I'm nobody special." Milly asked in curiosity. "I just can't stand to see anybody cry and there **is** something special about you." Iris replied. "What is that?" she asked. "It's your name. It means honeybee." Iris answered. "I didn't know that!" she exclaimed.

"So how about **I **take you out to the carnival at the other side of town? There might be some **cute teddy bears** you could win at the games." Iris offered. "**You **would do that for **me**?!" Milly exclaimed once more. "Like I said before, 'There **is** something special about you.'" Iris said.

Milly began to like her new friend and enjoyed the time being spent at the carnival.

She truly excelled in the game of shooting the tin ducks that traveled upon the conveyer belt in one of the booths. Iris giggled to see Milly carry away her prize that had been a huge five foot pink bear upon her back. She also marveled at how Iris fetched the goldfish with the small strainer in a blink of an eye. The maze of mirrors in the fun house were a hilarious segment for them as Iris made Milly laugh hysterically by raising her hair above her head in front of the stretch mirror and shouted in mock horror: "My head is on fire!!!!" Each of them had traded intervals of supervising the prizes and riding upon the loopy rollercoaster. _It's nice to see her happy. I hope that Vash and Wolfwood don't worry about me for being away longer than usual._ Iris thought and grinned in satisfaction, as she watched Milly participating in her third ride on the rollercoaster.

The women spent two hours at the carnival with cotton candy in each of their hands as they departed from the gates. "Did you have a good birthday, Milly?" Iris asked.

"Yes, this one tops them all! Thanks to you!" she said cheerfully. "I'm glad that you're happy again and every person on their birthday has the right to be spoiled rotten." Iris said modestly. "So where are you headed?" Milly asked. "The Rockerfeller Saloon." she answered. "Hey! I'm going there too!" Milly exclaimed. "Fate surely has a wicked sense of humor!" she exclaimed as well.

Iris and Milly returned the saloon ten minutes later and beheld Vash and Meryl sitting upon the cushioned stools at the bar counter with stern facial expressions and crossed arms. "Uh..." both uttered in unison with sheepish grins. "Where have you been?!" Meryl demanded. "We were worried sick!" Vash exclaimed. "Hey, we were out for a good reason." Iris said calmly and gently nudged Milly in the ribs. "That's right. Today is my birthday and she came to my rescue and took me to the carnival." Milly said confidently. "Milly....I had no idea...I just must have...forgotten." Meryl said softly while looking to the floor in shame. "It's alright I forgive you, Meryl, " Milly said gently with a hand on her shoulder and offered her the cotton candy, "Here you can have this. I'm very full." Both Iris and Vash grinned to witness this little sincere moment. "You did the right thing, Iris but next time let me know where you are." Vash said.

She smiled and nodded, "I'm sorry that I made you worry, yet you do know that I can watch out for myself." "Yes, but it's like you said. I'm a worry wart." he said and chuckled. Milly's birthday certainly had been full of surprises but the best gifts of all did not come in a package, instead they were sincerity and friendship. 

__

(( The song is entitled Back in Baby's Arms by Patsy Kline)). . 


	6. The Rainbow Fades Away

Trigun: The Rainbow Fades Away 6

Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson were indeed happy to have more female company join their group. Meryl found Iris to be helpful with organizing the documents on the desk. 

After finishing the document, she would give the paper to her and ask her to critique and edit it. At her first impression of this new woman, she perceived her to be a gun toting "bimbo", meaning that she would be a woman with a pretty face who is ignorant of proper literary grammar and academic topics. The first impression had been proven incorrect one day as Iris looked over Meryl's shoulder at her desk and said, "You need to expand your thesis statement upon your essay. The statement really needs to express what you are presenting to the reader. Just a thought." "How would you know about writing?" she asked spitefully. "I know enough to see a raw product when I see one. 

Try writing your essay with a pencil and paper, then using your typewriter to create the refined product. Sometimes I speak the sentence that I am about to write out loud to hear what it would sound like to the reader." she advised without taking offense to her tone. Iris' response had impressed Meryl yet her pride intervened and said, "I don't need advice from an **outlaw** thanks." ""Ooooh that was a shot. If rudeness was a crime then you would be my cell mate. See ya later, **buddy.**" Iris remarked and exited the room quietly. "I don't need her. I'm better than that..." she muttered and stared at the typewriter 

Her fingers tapped the keys in a frustrated manner, attempting to redo her work. 

Each attempt had been deemed more unsuccessful than the next. The stress tolerance level from Meryl's being conceded by having her hands slam upon the typewriter and shout, "NONE OF IT MAKES ANY SENSE!!!! ARGGH!!!!" She rose from her seat, dashed across the room, flung upon the door, stormed into the hall, and approached Iris who had been leaning against the hall way's wall in a casual manner with a heavy scowl. The gray blue eyes met her calm aqua ones and said between clenched teeth: "As much as I hate to **say **this..." She paused and gazed upon the floor, "I want you to be my critic **and** editor." A gentle hand clasped her right shoulder and Iris said, "There! Now that wasn't so **hard** to ask now was't it? Show me where you are having trouble and I'll help give your paper a good tune up." Meryl blushed a deep red and peeked between her bangs to see a warm smile that beamed upon her. _No matter what I say to her, it doesn't piss her off. I wish had strong patience like that. _she thought with a frown. It seemed that Iris had listened to Meryl's thoughts and she said in an authoritative tone: "The **key** to a literary masterpiece and inner peace is **patience**. If you have patience with your talent and allow it flow naturally then it would improve with every word ever created by your hands. The same goes with your own happiness because you can not interfere with the flow of time." _Now **that **was scary! _she thought with widened eyes in surprise.

The friction between Meryl and Iris had severe static in the beginning yet they grew accustomed to each other. Their bond became to strong enough to where they would finish each other's remarks and jokes. Occasionally, Vash would hear the women hysterically laughing behind the closed door with a quizzical expression on his face and mutter:

"Did I miss a really funny joke? Ah...girls...I can't live with them and can't live without them." Wolfwood even gave them a nickname: the Three Weird Sisters, pertaining to the three women that governed the mystic threads of fate. 

Unfortunately for this desert planet the seasons did not exist in the environment. Only the calendars and clocks served as the time indicators for the inhabitants. Vash's perspective of time allowed the days seem like minutes ticking carelessly away, which did give a reasonable explanation behind his carefree persona. Despite the circumstances of the tedious task of earning money for another trek across the desert, he always found a way to amuse himself. He demonstrated this skill from behind the bar counter to the owner of the Rockerfeller Saloon; Ferguson Rockerfeller, who sat upon a random stool.

The silver haired portly man in the fine brown suit with his crisp yellow shirt gave his employee a smirk and said in a heavy voice, "So what are you about to show me, son?"

"A **new** way to serve drinks. Just **watch** and it'll blow your mind!" he said enthusiastically. "Okay I'm watchin'." he said and rested his chin upon an open palm.

Vash placed a glass mug on the counter, removed a string from his coat pocket.

The first end of the string was tied to the handle as the other end was tied to his middle index finger on the right hand. His left hand grabbed the nozzle from the liquor dispenser and prepared himself for the stunt by inhaling deeply through the lips and exhaling slowly. "Here we go!" he shouted. With a jerk of his right hand, he spun the mug at a sideways orbit and sprayed the liquor into it at each circuit. Mr. Rockerfeller watched in awe of the stunt that was performed before his eyes. After successfully filling the mug, Vash slammed the mug to the counter without spilling a drop and asked, "Well? How is **that** for a trick?" He applauded for the performance and said, "Now that was **unbelievable**! How did you do that?!" "Uh...it was actually a fluke..." he said with a pink blush. "It's a good thing you're around because of the Halloween bash tonight. There's going to be alot of drunks causing trouble on this occasion." Mr. Rockerfeller commented. "Darn it! I didn't get a costume.." Vash complained. "Throw on a sheet and parade around as a ghost." he said. "Great idea! I can't wait for the festivities to start because of that dance competition." he said while untieing himself from the mug. 

"What about that girl you're always with? Is she going to join in the fun?" he asked.

"Oh Iris? Well she's...shy around strangers..." he replied. "Well, then you'll be doing her a favor. Better get started." he said and removed a random table cloth from one of the table and placed it in Vash's arms. He watched Mr. Rockerfeller leave the saloon and asked the question to himself, "What did he mean by doing her a favor?" 

Vash shrugged his shoulders, withdrew a knife from his coat, and had cut two perfectly round holes into the sheet. He allowed the cloth to cover his person and waved his arms comically. "Boo!" he shouted and posed before the mirror behind the bar counter. 

A giggle escaped from beneath the sheet and thought _Those girls will be scared out of their wits. Especially Meryl! She's going to get some payback! _

Iris, Meryl and Milly began to prepare themselves for the Halloween festivities by searching through Meryl's make-up case upon the bed. Meryl chose to dress as a cat that consisted of a little black headband with protruding cat ears attached to it and painted whiskers on her cheeks. Milly chose to dress as a scarecrow with the old clothes she found in the alley and painted her face with lines that extended the lips and eye lids.

Iris chose to dress as a vampire by having a pair of fake teeth from her bag, darkened her lips, black satin gloves and her black funeral dress. "We look great!" Meryl said cheerfully. "Do you think anyone would recognize us?" Milly asked. "Maybe. But you girls look more cute than scary." Iris said with a smile. "Your costume is pretty but it's missing something..." Meryl said and gave Iris a critical look. "What is it missing? I've got the teeth and dress...What more could be added?" Iris asked. "You need curls." Meryl replied. "Curls?" Iris asked with a raised brow. "Oh that would be so adorable!" Milly gushed with closed hands. "You can't be serious..." Iris said in disbelief. 

Meryl ushered Iris to the chair in the center of the room while Milly placed two little metal poles at the blazing hearth. "Is it ready?" Meryl asked while brushing Iris' hair.

"Yes!" Milly said and grabbed them with gloved hands. The two women began to curl her hair into bouncy locks. Iris tolerated the ordeal with closed eyes. "Okay you're done. It looks so cute!" Meryl exclaimed and placed a hand mirror before her. Iris opened her eyes to see her hair being in a series of curls and had been dumbfounded by the site. 

"Is that me? I look too prissy." she said. "Of course it is. Vampires look sophisticated and now the costume is complete." Meryl explained. "You do make a good point." she said and stood from the chair. Suddenly, a big white object bursted into the room that made the women shriek and withdrew their weapons. "Hey! Don't shoot! It's me!" Vash's voice shouted frantically with his arms waving. "Vash?!" all three asked in unison. Vash emerged from beneath the sheet and grinned to them: "Yes, it's me! I just had to test out my ghost costume." he explained. "Well it certainly did the job with frightening results." Iris remarked with a chuckle. "Don't you **ever **scare me like that again!" Meryl shouted sternly. The women returned the weapons to their secret compartments in their costumes. "So let me guess...a vampire...a dolly...and a kitty?" he asked. "I'm a scarecrow!" Milly exclaimed. :"Oh. Either way your costumes are cute." Vash commented. "Is Wolfwood going to dress up?" Iris asked. "Yes, he's going as a pumpkin man." he replied. "A pumpkin man? I would love to see that!" Milly exclaimed. "Come on! The party is starting!" Vash exclaimed and ushered them out of the room. "Don't forget your sheet, Vash." Iris said before stepping over the threshold. "Oh thanks!" he shouted. He grabbed the sheet from the floor and allowed Iris to cover him with it. "There now you are a good phantom." she commented. "You make a good vampire with those teeth. Your **bite **is stronger than your **bark.**" he said in response. 

"I have a bad feeling about tonight. Be careful Vash or you could become a ghost for **real**." she warned him with a concerned expression on her face. "I'll take your word for it, rainbow girl." he said. The two of the them exited the room and departed from the saloon. 

The streets had been filled with the costumed people and running children laughing merrily. Men, women and children danced to the cheerful music played by the band that consisted of fiddles, drums, violins, and a harmonica. The couples moved like precise clockwork in the square dance patterns on the dance floor. A few of the people performed jigs alone in the center of the floor. Milly, Wolfwood, Meryl and Vash danced together upon the dance floor while Iris performed a few of the step dances. She danced among the single dancers and performed the traditional jig she learned from her father that came from the distant mother planet.. The fast song from the band ceased and Iris left the dance floor to rest herself upon a nearby wooden table with a carved pumpkin resting behind her. An unusual sinister presence interrupted her serene thoughts and she traced the source to a man dressed in a white coat, spikes on the right shoulder, a metal skull emblem on the left arm, with side-parted dark blue hair and piercing yellow eyes standing at the other side of the dance floor. Her eyes met his warily and watched him grin. His presence gave her chills down her spine yet felt compelled to approach him as though drawn in like a blackhole. A familiar voice spoke within her mind: 

__

Hello Iris...It's nice to see you in person... Her eyes widened in surprise to hear the voice again and furrowed her brows in anger. She sent a thought that said: _It's you again...Your appearance matches your character...Sinister and deceitful..._The man chuckled at this and replied: _My dear, you indulge me with many of your praises. Have you reconsidered the offer? _She nodded and said: _Yes, I did. Your intention to change the world is admirable but its not in your authoritative power to decide that the human race should be exterminated. _The man gestured to her and extended his left gloved hand. Her body seemed to have had an independent nature that forced her to stand and walk to him on the dance floor. The band began to play a romantically haunting melody from the stage as this stranger and Iris joined hands and began to waltz. "My name is Legato and you have no idea of what your true potential is capable of doing." he said. "I can figure that out for myself. What assurance can you give me that you will not hurt anyone?" she asked. "You are a challenge. It would be pleasant to have someone appreciate your talent rather than fear it." he hinted. "Maybe so. I am quite happy with what I have now. I have four friends that appreciate **me **as well as **others**." she objected. Legato seemed shocked to hear this reply and had been impressed with such determined willpower. Her aqua eyes bore into his yellow ones in an assertive manner. "Foolish, little man. Love and peace are strongest forces to have ever graced existence. Dominance is great but you can never be **appreciated** and you would be **alone** in this world with no one to respect you. I bid you a good night, Mr. Legato. Have a happy Halloween." she said firmly and curtsied before departing from the dance floor. Legato watched her walk towards her four friends with a dumbfounded expression. _Knives...We have received more than what we have bargained for..._he thought. _She's the closest connection to Vash the Stampede. Execute Plan B and I'll have him crying like a baby._ another man's voice replied. 

The four friends departed from Iris and watched them return to the Rockerfeller Saloon.

She decided to return to the dance floor to help remove the decorations from the area.

Legato approached her from behind and grasped her head. Her eyes began to feel heavy and fell asleep. He caught her form before it had hit the ground and cradled her within his grasp. "Now it's time for your re-education my spirited one." he said quietly and carried her sleeping form into the night... 


	7. Knives Millions

Trigun: Knives Millions 7

(On a minor note the beginning starts with Iris dreaming about Vash and Knives as children and experienced the events in the spaceship as though she were there.)

"NOOOOO!!!!!" she screamed in horror and opened her tear filled eyes. Instead of the blazing inferno, she found herself within a pitch dark room and a soft bed beneath her person. Frightened pants were exhaled while hugging her legs to her chest. "Those poor people..." she softly whispered. Iris decreased her ventilation in order to reassess her state of mind and reminded herself by muttering: "Big girls don't cry." She pulled her knees away from her chest and found her black dress to be missing as it had been replaced by a white nightgown. "Huh? What the hell?" she said with arched brows in wonder. _Obviously someone had put me in a hidden place. It could be well guarded so I better use my abilities for this one. The emotions won't be pleasant but I have to tolerate it. _she thought and closed her eyes. Her senses allowed her to feel a malevolent presence who had the obsession of shedding of blood. An icy river of chills flowed down her spine as she felt the presence approach her area. "Oh shit.." she whispered and tiptoed across the room. Her hands felt the smooth walls of the chamber and detected the cool metal doorknob. She grinned, placed her back to the wall and awaited for her prey to approach. The door creaked during the opening and heavy footsteps clacked against the concrete floor. Iris spotted the silhouette of a tall man with shortened bristly hair and held her breath. "You make this too easy..." she remarked. He quickly turned to his right to look for the source of the voice and had been attacked by a hand that grasped his face! The fingers delved into his temples and cheek bones mercilessly and felt searing pain that had the identical sensation of hot poles drilling into his brain. The pain had been intolerable enough to where he collapsed to the floor and held his white gloved hands to his face as he cursed to express the incredible agony. 

Iris flipped the switch to her left to illuminate the nearly unfurnished concrete room. 

She identified the man to have bleach blond hair and a white suit with shoulder armor. "Alright **pal.** I don't know what the **fuck** you are trying to **pull** but you better let me out here if you know what's good for you! If you don't listen I'll have to gouge your eyes out and use your skull for an ash tray!" she shouted in rage. "So the daughter of the scarlet has guts after all.." the man remarked. "What did you just say?!" she shouted in the same tone. "I meant that you're stronger than that whore your father married." he replied. "What do you **know** about my mother, you bastard?!" she shouted once more. "She's a two-timing bitch." he said with his ice blue eyes meeting hers. "I don't know...Maybe she made the right **choice!" **she remarked and her barefoot struck the side of his head. He shouted once more and continued to be sprawled upon the floor. "You're lucky I don't have my boots or I'd squash your guts out of your mouth!" she added. "Enough of this! I brought you here to give you something that your mother had been too cowardly to bestow on you. To inherit this planet over these pathetic homo sapiens." he said firmly as he stood erect from the floor. "Okay...I don't want this **responsibility **Mr...?" she asked and paused to allow her captor to end the sentence with his name. "Millions. Knives Millions. Don't be stupid like your mother. Either you deny your destiny or **I'll **deny your future." he said firmly. "But you're incorrect Mr.Millions. Yes, fate **can **give you things that you were meant to do. It is the person's **will** to decide their destinations on the road of life. You may be powerful but I have a **force** that is stronger than yours." she said confidently. "Is your will more selfish than the destiny of your bloodline? Your mother thought so and now she is **dead** like the rest of these pathetic humans." he said. "It seems **your **will is more **selfish** than mine. **My** will is to spread the message of love and peace. I have compassion to **all** creatures. You would be alone with no one to respect **and** care for you. You're lucky I have enough love **not** make you spontaneously combust." she said sincerely. "If you have enough **compassion **then you would join my cause and cooperate like a good little girl. We are here to control and have our race prevail. Don't be like my brother, Vash who made that stupid mistake. I'm giving you a chance. Please help us restore our great empire." he said in a pleading manner. "YOU LEAVE VASH OUT OF THIS YOU ASSHOLE!!!!" she bellowed and furrowed her brows with an outstretched hand. Knives had been levitated by invisible hands that flung him to the other side of the room. His form collided into the wall and fell to the floor. "Did I just **strike** a nerve? As for your **boyfriend **I'll give him a dishonorable death and having him **whimpering** like an **inferior ape**. His suffering will **entertaining.**" he said mockingly. "I would **love** to see you **try**. His wrath is going to be unbearable to tolerate. I **should** know because of my **talents**." she said. "If you truly know Vash then you know how weak he has become around these humans. Feelings are weak and irrelevant. It is why humans die and suffer. So that will be Vash's fate. Don't make it **yours** as well." he warned. "Well it seems to me that you have feelings as well. You have **regret** and **hatred**. Rem must be very disappointed in you. So that will make you inferior as the rest of them." she added. "So then you'll let our race die? Just to love these beastly human pets?" he asked. "No, not die. Like you said I can't deny half of my heritage but I can make it stronger with a **new method**." she said "New methods is what destroyed our race. You revolutionaries don't have the backbone to support your goals. It is not a matter of feelings but to survive." he said. "That's why I'm here. **My** backbone can tolerate it better than **yours**. I would say its superior than those actions that you have performed on the **ship** about a century back." she said confidently. "They turned on us because we were weak like the humans. Don't you see that? If **they** took over we would be obliterated and **you** would **never** have been born. I am returning the strength that is in your blood. Ignore the human within you its they would've killed you. If they knew me now...they would be proud...let them be proud of you, too. Cast off the shackles of humanity and embrace the proud warrior heritage of plant that is in you." he insisted. 

Iris approached Knives and gave a sorrowful look. She lowered herself to his level, looked at him directly in his eyes and said softly, "I feel sorry for you. I know these people have hurt you but they are not all that bad. My father **knew** what my mother was and he **loved** her all the same. They can do the same thing for you. I don't want to keep arguing with you because it seems to be pointless.". "I see that you have made up your mind....If you are going to side with the humans over your own race then I have nothing left for you in my heart. Because you are half of what I am then I shall let you leave this place **alive**. But if **you** or **Vash** get in my way, I will **kill** you as I would a human. 

Now **leave** before I change my mind." he said coldly. "Very well. Mr Millions. 

I hope you do think about what I said. Even if you brush it off at least you heard what I had to say. Good bye and I hope for the best towards your happiness." she said and departed from the room. Knives watched Iris walk through the threshold and muttered, "That's the most stubborn person I have ever met..." 

.


	8. Rescue Mission

Trigun: Rescue Mission 8

It had been a traumatic event since Iris' absence. It came to the foursome's attention, since the next morning that Vash came to wake her from the comfortable bed. His eyes widened with surprise to observe the sword resting on the table and cloak settled to the chair. "Where could she be?" he muttered and departed from the bedroom. 

He walked down the hall to observe Meryl that approached him. "Hey, Meryl. Have you seen Iris around?" he asked as they stopped in the middle of the hall. "No, not since last night. Why do you ask?" Meryl inquired curiously. "Well, she's not dozing in her bed because she is usually a heavy sleeper." he replied. "Hmmm...That **is **odd. I didn't see her in the usual daily spots. Do you think she wandered off without saying good bye?" she inquired once more. "Not her style. She would leave a note before doing that." he said. "Let's go ask Milly and Wolfwood if they have seen anything unusual. We can report back here and share notes." she suggested. "Good idea! Let's get to it!" he exclaimed. 

Meryl and Vash briskly walked past each other in haste to acquire any important information. Moments later, they have returned to the same spot. "Well....**anything**?" she asked. "Nothing...What did you get?" he asked. "Milly told me that the only thing she saw that was unusual was Iris waltzing with a man in a white coat." Meryl answered.

"White coat, huh? Was there any one with him at the time?" he asked. "No, just her and that guy. She didn't seem to like him very much." she replied. "Was he an ogre-like guy?" he asked again. "No, he seemed normal except he had these strange yellow eyes." she answered. "Where is Iris now?!" he asked sternly. "I don't know! That's we have started this investigation in the first place!" she shouted. "Let's quit wasting our time and look!" he said impatienly. Vash grabbed Meryl's arm and ran down the hall with her in tow. "Get your hands off me! Let's calm down and rethink what we should do!" Meryl yelled. They stopped in their tracks in the middle of the saloon tables. "Then what should we do then?" he asked. "Let's get the others and form a plan to find her." she said while pulling her arm away from his hand. "I'll go outside and get Wolfwood while you go get Milly. We have to act fast! Time is very short..." he said..

The four friends gathered in the very office of Ferguson Rockerfeller in a moments notice. "Iris is missing. We need to find her." Meryl said. "There's a lot of area to search. What's the best to method try?" Wolfwood asked. "We can split off into pairs and search. If we do it by ourselves then we are the ones that will get lost." Milly suggested. "Where was she seen last?" Meryl asked. "Last time I saw her was at the Halloween dance." Milly answered. "One of our group should go over and search that area thoroughly." Wolfwood advised. "Who should pair up with who?" Milly asked. 

"How about Vash and I work together and you girls pair up as well." Wolfwood said. 

"Aw but I wanted to search with the pretty ladies!" Vash complained. "We don't need any distractions because this matter is serious." Wolfwood said. "He's right again!" Meryl shouted and smacked Vash at the back of the head. 

The two rescue parties departed from the Rockerfeller Saloon. Meryl and Milly walked to the former dance area to investigate. The men watched the women leave. Wolfwood turned to Vash and asked, "Where to begin **our** investigation?" "Well she was seen last with a man in a white coat with yellow eyes. So I have an idea of where this person could be. He could be a minion of Knives." Vash said. "Who's Knives?" he asked quizzically. "That's not important. What we need to do is find her as soon as possible. If I know him well enough he could be in the middle of the desert." Vash replied. "Alright! Let's hop in the jeep and get a move on! I've got some ice water left in the trunk so we can find her first!" Wolfwood exclaimed cheerfully. 

The men hopped into their jeep in front of the Saloon and drove off at top speed to the desired destination. From the corner of Wolfwood's eye, Vash pocketed a small silver canteen into his red trenchcoat. "What's in your pocket?" he asked. :"Oh nothing

special." Vash replied casually. "Come on. It's booze isn't it?" he insisted. "Are we going to search for Iris or are we going play the game: What's in my pocket?" he said sternly. "Sorry. Forget I asked." Wolfwood muttered. An hour passed since their search, as Vash stood on the passenger's seat with a pair of binoculars to serve as part of their equipment. "Any sign?" Wolfwood asked. "Nothing..." Vash answered with a sigh, "I don't know if we could find her out here in all this endless desert." Wolfwood quietly and instinctively drove towards one of Knives' lairs. Vash continued to survey the area with his binoculars in frustration. "Come on, rainbow girl. Where are you?" he muttered. 

Meanwhile, Meryl and Milly arrived to the former dance floor of the Halloween party.

They spotted an elderly janitor sweeping orange and black confetti with a push broom.

"We should ask him, Meryl. Maybe he must know something." Milly suggested. 

"Good idea. Let's ask." Meryl agreed. The women approached the elderly gentleman.

Meryl cleared her throat and tapped him gently upon the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir. May we have a moment of your time please?" Meryl asked politely. "Sure, what can I do for ya?" he asked. "We are looking for someone and she was last seen here at the Halloween party." Milly said. "Well I see many faces. Could you refresh my memory?" he asked.

"She has long curly dark red hair, wore a black dress, with fangs in a vampire costume. If it helps she also has blue-greenish eyes. She was last seen with a man in a white trenchcoat that had dark hair and yellow eyes." Meryl answered. "Well I don't remember the woman you speak of but I do remember that man you mentioned. You don't forget anybody with yellow eyes. Come to think of it I did see him leave with someone that could be the woman you speak of." he answered. Meryl grabbed the man's shoulders and asked in a loud, stern manner,"Did you see which direction he left?!" "Yes, I saw them head out west to the desert." he replied. "Right! Let's go Milly!" she exclaimed. Meryl released the man and they ran off into the western direction out towards the desert. 

Another hour passed since the men's investigation. Each took turns driving and surveying the area through the binoculars. Vash was ready to give up hope when he spotted a figure upon a sand dune in the far distance. "Wolfwood! Look to the forward right! Take a look at this!" he exclaimed and offered the binoculars. Wolfwood received the binoculars and peeked through the lenses. "By God! I think we found her!" Wolfwood shouted with joy and slammed his foot into the accelerator. Their vechile sped off into the figure's area. Vash snatched the binoculars from Wolfwood and surveyed the figure closely. To his surprise and horror, he observed Iris to be in a white nightgown laying face down upon the sand. Vash screamed hysterically, "Hurry! Hurry! It's her!" "We're going as fast as this damn thing will go!" Wolfwood shouted. Vash jumped out of the vechile and ran from behind it. His arms forcefully pushed the jeep to increase velocity. "I'm coming, Iris! I'm coming, Iris!" he shouted while whining. Wolfwood took a glance in the rear view mirror to see Vash be successfully forcing the jeep to proceed at a faster rate. "What the hell?!" he exclaimed in surprise. He reached from behind him, grabbed Vash by the bristly hair, and forced him into the vechile. "Sit down you retarded feret! We're almost there!" Wolfwood shouted. "I'm not a retarded ferret! I'm more like a misunderstood pretty ferret!" Vash objected. "Either way you will be road kill tonight if you don't shut up and calm down!" Wolfwood said. 

They parked the jeep beside Iris'sprawled form. Vash jumped from the vechile with a soft thud from beneath his boots. His hands gently turned Iris onto her back. "Oh no! She's dead! Why her?! She was so young!" he bawled at the top of his lungs. 

Wolfwood's fist struck the back of his skull and said firmly, "She's still alive, moron. Look she's breathing." Wolfwood shooed Vash aside and lifted her limp form from the sand and placed her upon the back seats of the vechile. "Let's get her to town. She needs water now." Wolfwood said as he claimed the driver's seat. "I have something that can help her." Vash said confidently while removing the canteen from his trenchcoat. 

He unscrewed the cap, supported her head with his left hand and poured the amber fluid into her open mouth. A few harsh coughs escaped from her lips, as her eyes opened immediately. "Ungh...what...what happened..." she said in a dry voice. Vash hugged her close and yelled with joy: "You're okay! You're okay! Thank goodness!" Iris, being squeezed, said to Wolfwood, "Uh...a little help here...please?" she asked meekly. Wolfwood grabbed Vash by the hair once more and said, "Damn it! Bad ferret!" He hurled him out of the jeep, hopped into the driver's seat, and turned the key within the ignition. Vash, shaking sand from his ears,muttered, "Perhaps a little warning next time?!" "Quit goofing off in the sand, ferret! Let's get in the jeep!" Wolfwood insisted. "But you threw me!" Vash shouted. "That's not in the point. Let's get back!" he said. Vash obeyed Wolfwood and leaped into the passenger seat.

Iris began to regain her composure and released several coughs. "Uh...I feel like a sandsteamer ran over my head..." she said in the midst of sitting erect. "I imagine...You probably took a nasty spill because we found you with your face in the sand." Wolfwood said. "Thanks for finding me and not let me bake under the blazing suns like a cookie..." she said. "Could you tell us what happened to you and why you are not wearing that black dress?" Vash asked. "It's a long story. I don't think you would believe the ordeal I went through if I were to tell it." she replied. "I would believe it if it starts with a man named Knives." he said curtly. "Then I really don't need to explain much then." she said with a chuckle and coughed harshly once more. "Who's this fellow Knives you keep speaking of?" Wolfwood asked impatiently. "He has the ego the size of the Nebraska family!" Iris exclaimed in an aggravated manner. "Did he hurt you?!" Vash asked sternly. She laughed hysterically and said, "**I** hurt **him** instead!" "Doesn't surprise me, feisty one!" Wolfwood said and joined her laughter. "Hey I think see Milly and Meryl over yonder!" Vash shouted. They reached the women and halted the jeep once more. Meryl and Milly ran towards the motionless jeep. "Guys we spoke to a janitor who was there last night and said that he spotted Iris leaving with a man in this direction!" Meryl shouted frantically. "We know! We found her!" Wolfwood said. Iris waved to them and her arm plopped upon her lap in a weak manner. "Oh thank God!!!" Milly shouted with glee and cried. "I didn't mean to make you guys worry to death over me. I'm really sorry I caused such a fuss." Iris said apologetically. "All that matters is that you came back in one piece." Meryl said with a hand to her shoulder. "Yeow!!!!" Iris exclaimed from the sunburnt skin. "Oops.." she said and laughed nervously. "What is it?!" Vash yelled hysterically. "She's just got a sunburn that's all. I've got some lotion back in the room." Milly said calmly. "Now I'm a doll again..." Iris muttered. The women jumped into the jeep with Iris in the very center of Vash and Wolfwood. Her petite form allowed her to sit comfortably between them without any contact to her skin. She rode among the four of them upon their return. 

The group had successfully found their valuable friend. This day did not deter their friendship yet strengthened it with the love that they shared. Iris had never experienced this kind of attention from more than one person which brought warmth to her heart.

__

Is this what true friendship is really about? **I'm** usually doing all the favors but now **they** are doing **me** a favor! So this is how it feels to be appreciated not for **what** I am but rather **who** I am she thought as a smile surfaced. 


	9. Duel of Wits

Trigun: Duel of Wits 9 

It had been a long time since Iris received any type of care or any acts of kindness. 

She had been surprised by Vash insisting that she stay in bed, Wolfwood delivering books from the bookstore for her to read, and Meryl and Milly bandaging the cuts on her feet and arms. These actions were foreign to her but she accepted them with gratification and retained her sense of humor by pretending to be a mummy with the bandages on her person. Vash had been amazed with her coping abilities but each time she smiled her eyes displayed a deep injury. He did not want to press her further with the ordeal from Knives because he did not want see any woman shed tears or he would instead. 

Since the afternoon of their return, they administered the healing treatments. 

Vash entered the room to see the bed empty once more. "Damn it! Not again!" he exclaimed and dashed out of the room. By the time he reached the ground floor of the Saloon, he heard a loud thump resound from the ceiling. "What's going on up there?" he muttered. He decided to return to the second floor and entered the bedroom to investigate the noise. To his relief, he spotted Iris laying upon her left side with a sheepish grin. "Opps.." she said with a chuckle. "Don't you scare me like that again!" he shouted, while squatting before her with an authoritative expression on his face. "I'm sorry. I just had to use the bathroom." she said apologetically. "You could have used that bell on the nightstand and get someone to help you." he said. "I wanted to re-strengthen my legs but apparently they are not ready yet." she replied and attempted to raise herself from the floor. Her attempt had failed and fell to the floor once again. "Silly rainbow girl. You need to stay in bed." he said with a sigh. He lifted her gently to her feet and supported her arms on the walk to the bed. "You're lucky that Wolfy isn't here or he could have **really** scolded you." he added. "Aw stop fussing over me." she muttered 

Meanwhile, Meryl and Milly had departed from the saloon and decide to shop for necessary food and supplies. "This place is pretty packed." Milly commented. 

"Yeah, I can't see the merchandise on the display tables with them in the way." Meryl remarked. The women had to politely push themselves through the crowds to the display tables that exhibited fresh produce and meats. "Does the guys like chicken?" Meryl asked. "Yeah, I think it's perfect for tonight's dinner." Milly said. Meryl grabbed a headless chicken contained in a plastic bag and deposited the necessary currency to the elderly lady in a yellow apron. "This is one is good and heavy. It will fill them up and Iris needs this to regain her strength." she added. "She certainly puts up with a lot. It's such a shame that she's an outlaw." Milly commented. "How about some fruit before we go?" Meryl asked. "Okay how about five apples?" Milly asked. "Sure. Good! Now I have some room to grab them finally!" Meryl said cheerfully. Her hand hovered over the apples until her serene thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a man's shouting from the town square. 

"What's going on?" Meryl asked. "I don't know but that man is sure crazy. Let's go see what's up." Milly suggested. The women followed the shouting to see a man dressed in a yellow kimono and black pants with a sword attached to his belt standing at the edge of the water fountain in the town square. "I'm Karasu the greatest samurai that ever lived! Bring me the one called the Bloody Rainbow or otherwise known as Iris Bloodworth or I will kill all of you one by one! You have ten minutes to meet my demand!" he bellowed. "You won't be able to kill all of us before we get you!" a man shouted from the crowd. Karasu removed a metallic black box with a red button installed within its case with a protruding antenna. "You fools! I rigged your townsquare with explosives. Do what I say or you will all die!" he shouted. "He couldn't have rigged all the buildings someone would have seen him!" another man shouted from the crowd. "Get me Bloody Rainbow before this town will run red with blood!" he shouted once more.

Panic enveloped the crowd and they ran from either direction in attempt to find Iris and to hide. "This is very bad!" Meryl said. "But she's too weak! What are we to do?!" Milly asked, panic stricken. "Well we have to get back to the saloon and tell the rest about the madman." Meryl said. "Right, ma'am!" Milly said firmly. The women ran back as fast as they could and ran into the Saloon's lobby, shouting the news to Vash and Wolfwood at the bar counter. "Really?! A man wanting to fight Iris?!" Vash asked in horror. "Yes, and he threatened to blow up the town in five minutes!" Meryl replied. Iris ran down the staircase with the sheathed sword in her left hand. "I heard the news. I have to do what I can to prevent this guy from hurting anyone!" she said boldly. She flung the sword over her shoulders and bravely marched out of the tavern and but fell to her knees at the threshold. Vash lifted her from the floor and said, "You know that you are in no condition to fight. You need to go back to bed before you make yourself worse." Iris sighed heavily and said, "You're right. That means you need to take my place for now." "Hold on now. I'm no swordsman. I'm a warrior of love. Love and peace." he protested. "Yeah, love of running away." Meryl remarked. "I can fix that part. Just give me your hand." she said confidently. "What?" he asked. "Just give me your hand." she insisted. Vash obeyed her and at the moment that their hands met, he felt a warm sensation travel from his fingers to the head. "Now do you understand?" she asked and offered the sword. "Yes, I do now." he said and received the weapon. "Go now and make me proud." she said and smiled. "I will!" he exclaimed. "I'm coming too. I can't just sit back and watch from the sidelines." Wolfwood said and grasped the covered cross that leaned against the bar counter. "You don't need to." Vash said. "You don't have to either." Wolfwood remarked. "You've got a point there." Vash agreed. The men departed from the Saloon running to the townsquare. 

As they made their way to the busy streets, Wolfwood asked, "What are his motives with Iris?" "I don't know...we'll have to find out..." Vash said while running. _I don't have a good feeling about this one._ Wolfwood thought. The men threaded their way through the crowd to observe the samurai shouting boasts to his audience. "Where's Bloody Rainbow?!" he shouted as he slammed his sword into a nearby fruitstand causing total destruction. Vash approached Karasu and said confidently, "I hear you're looking for a swordsman. I'm here to meet your challenge." Karasu turned to see Vash the Stampede standing to his side and said, "Yeah, but I asked for Bloody Rainbow." "Well she's indisposed right now so you'll have to deal with me." Vash replied. "I was looking for a real challenge but since you're Vash the Stampede you'll do for now. I could use that sixty billion double dollars." Karasu said. Wolfwood began to approach Vash but had been signaled to refrain himself. He nodded respectfully and stood aside to watch the duel. Vash withdrew the four foot long sword from its leather sheath and thought _I hope whatever trick she did to me works. I need all the help I can get. _"Are we going to fight now or what?" he asked confidently. "Do you really think you can fight with that dinky little knife?" Karasu asked mockingly, "This is a real sword!" He presented the sword in an arrogant manner. Vash gazed at the long slender curved steel blade with the fine point at the very tip. "I think my dinky little knife will work just fine." he replied.

"Maybe so but I doubt that you can even handle it like a swordsman. In fact, what makes you think you have the skill to battle me? This isn't a rodeo or a gunshow at the OK Corral." Karasu said. "You sure talk alot. Is that how you've won your battles by talking your opponents to death?" Vash said mockingly. "You're a real funny guy, " he said sarcastically, "Let's see how funny you are when I carve a second smile into your forehead." The samurai leaped into the air with his blade aimed at Vash. As if a puppet master pulled invisible strings on Vash's limbs, his arms swung the sword into the air to deflect and toss Karasu away from him. The samurai landed upon his feet and gained composure. "Not bad. Not bad at all." he said and grinned. "You're **still** talking." Vash remarked. "All right enough games. It's time to finish you to get back to my task." he said. Karasu advanced on Vash and swung his sword numerous times with a murderous rage in his eyes. Vash's arms uncontrollably deflected each blow with awesome precision and power. _This is insane! I can't control my arms. And yet they, instinctively hit their mark with perfect accuracy. I hope her power holds up long enough_ he thought.

Karasu was quite shocked by Vash's sudden ability to sword fight like a master samurai. 

__

How can this little gunslinger, this puny little weakling, fight with such power and precision compared to mine own? Karasu thought. 

The two of them continued fighting, the samurai striking from many angles but being blocked at each time. He flipped behind Vash, then spun around with his sword standing, attempting to cut him in half. Vash's legs instinctively thrusted him into the air, performing two somersaults and descending upon the samurai, and slammed the brass handle of the sword that smashed the samurai on his head. Karasu fell to the ground and felt dazed with widened eyes. He quickly regained his composure, leapt into the air, shoved his hand into his kimono and removed five shurikens in each hand and projected them towards Vash. Vash jumped into the air and slammed his sword into each shuriken mercilessly. He descended to the ground with a thump only to see Karasu fly around from behind and struck his sword into Vash's arm. At the same time, Vash maneuvered away quickly but not fast enough to keep his right arm from getting cut. Vash, tolerating the pain, jumped down onto his good arm, swung around and kicked Karasu's legs, causing him to plummet to the ground upon his back. Vash leapt to his feet, stood over Karasu and swung the blade to his face, but caused it to halt at a quarter inch above his eye ridge. "I could have easily have killed you now. Leave this town and never bother these people again." Vash said as he turned away and walked away from his oppenent.

Karasu, struggling to rise, began to run towards Vash with his sword, and was about to plunge into Vash's back when two shots out of nowhere knocked the sword out of Karasu's grasp and slammed into his leg causing him to fall permanently to the ground.

Vash glanced from over his left shoulder to see in surprise, Karasu cradling his bloody wounded leg in a childish fashion then looked towards the crowd to see Wolfwood with a pistol in one hand and thumbs up signal in the other. As Vash and Wolfwood joined together to walk away, the crowd started to gather around Karasu as the police shackled him and hauled away to their law enforcement facility. 

"I never knew that you can handle a sword like that." Wolfwood commented. 

"Neither did I." Vash replied with a chuckle. "That was some character. Quite a cocky bastard." he commented once more. "He's definitely not a person with brains. Seems more like a henchman." he said. "What makes you say that?" Wolfwood asked. 

"He was in quite a hurry to deal with me so he could kill Iris and he spoke of it as a task. Sounds like someone put him up to all this. He even knew who I was." Vash commented. "Who do you think sent him?" he asked. "I can't put my finger on it but I know it's Knives. He has something wicked planned." Vash replied. "Maybe Iris could try to tell us everything that happened with Knives. Maybe she overheard what his plans are." Wolfwood suggested. "Let's give her a little more time to rest, maybe in a few days. Besides if it is Knives, he plans things slowly and carefully. So we'll have time to make a few plans of our own." Vash said. The men returned to the Rockerfeller Saloon.

As soon as they entered the Saloon, the women rejoiced upon their return. "That was amazing!" Milly exclaimed. "You really did it..." Meryl managed to say, being dumbfounded. "I'm very proud of you, Vash! You did it!" Iris praised. Her face went from joyful to concerned and said, "What's wrong with your arm?" "Oh it's nothing..." Vash said casually. "Let me take a look." she said. She examined his wound carefully and said, "Thank goodness it's not too deep. It needs to be stitched right away." "No no no it's fine really. I'll just wrap it up and it'll be okay." he insisted. Iris ignored his protests and said to Wolfwood, "I have a little sewing kit upstairs, bring it to me and we'll get to work." "No no no really it's fine.." he said nervously while backing towards the exit. Iris gave him a cold stare and said, "Where do you think you're going, dandelion?" "Oh... Just for a breath of fresh air..." he replied and dashed out the door. 

Wolfwood placed a palm on his forehead, shook his head and muttered, "What's wrong with him?" He dashed out the door in pursuit of Vash. Five minutes later, the women heard yelling and whining from outside. They saw Wolfwood enter the Saloon with the hog tied Vash in tow. "Hold him down while I get the equipment ready!" Iris shouted, preparing the needle and thread. "No! No needle!" he protested. Meryl's tolerance level subsided as she grabbed an apple from a nearby fruitbowl and shoved into his mouth. 

Iris cleaned the wound with a rag saturated in liquor and performed the even stitches carefully within his flesh. Vash could not tolerate the procedure and struggled within the arms of his other three friends. "The more you struggle the more it will worsen, dandelion. You're lucky that I'm weak now or I could do something worse to you later." Iris warned. She finished the procedure with the panting Vash on the floor. "See? It could have been done faster if you have cooperated." she added. He looked to the even stitches and cradled his arm while whimpering. "Would you like some tea, Mr Vash? It will make you feel better." Milly offered. Vash turned to Milly with an forged smile and said, "Sure that will be fine." He returned his attention back to his stitched arm. Wolfwood in disbelief approached Vash and sarcastically said, "You know for the most famous outlaw gunman you sure whine alot." He poked the wound in a joking manner. "I don't whine. I'm just passionate about my feelings." he said. Wolfwood rolled his eyes in return and said, "Whatever I'm going upstairs and hit the hay." "Goodnight Wolfwood." Iris called to him as he ascended the staircase. Milly returned with the hot cup of tea and said, "Careful with the cup, Mr Vash. It just came off the burner." "Thank you." he said and received the cup with a grin. Milly walked to her bedroom and said, "I hope you feel better in the morning, Mr Vash." Meryl and Iris sat by the fireplace and began to converse when they heard a loud thud in the next room. They left the room to investigate the noise. To their relief they saw Vash asleep on the floor next to his full cup of tea. "Should we drag him up to his room or just leave him there?" Meryl asked. 

"We should get him to the bed. His body is more vulnerable and he needs all the comfort he can get. I'll get his torso and you'll get his legs." Iris said and lowered herself to his level. The women hoisted him within their grasp, carrying him slowly across the room, and carefully hauling him up the stairs. "He really exhausted himself this time. I like him better this way." Meryl remarked. "Yeah, men are easier to get along with when they're taking a nap." Iris agreed. "Especially this one." Meryl added. They chuckled as they entered his bedroom and gently placed him upon the matress. "He needs to lay off the donuts..." Meryl whispered. "Naw he's just naturally heavy. Let's get to our beds as well. Today was a demanding one." Iris suggested while yawning. "Yeah, Good night Iris." Meryl said. "Good night Meryl." she said in return. The two women parted to their bedrooms to retire for the night. 


	10. Just Another Manic Monday

Trigun: Just Another Manic Monday 10

Iris awoke the next day and left the bedroom in a brisk manner. She walked down the hall in her bare feet dressed in a long sleeved nightshirt and knocked on Vash's bedroom door. "Who is it?" he asked. "It's Iris. Can I come in?" she asked. "Sure." he replied. She entered the bedroom and shut the door quietly behind herself. Vash sat up from his bed dressed in his gray shirt and dark pants for pajamas. "I came to check on your arm." she explained while approaching the bed. "My arm's fine. Thanks for the concern." he said and grinned to her. "Can you move it without having any pain? It seemed terrible yesterday." she asked and hovered over his arm while squinting her eyes. "It's just a little sore but I'll be fine. It wouldn't be the first time I got injured in a battle." he replied. "I know but sometimes I can be a worry wart also. I just hate to see anyone get hurt." she said. "You're a very caring person. That's what I like about you." he said. "Aw...you're making me pink..."she muttered with blushing cheeks, "But the stitches have done their work. Now's the time to remove them." Without hesitating she went to the dresser to search for scissors. She found a pair of small metallic scissors and said, "Don't move or this will cut you." "Do you have to say it that way?!" he exclaimed in horror. "How else can I say it? You can't sugar coat it." she replied and readied the scissors over the stitches. "Are you sure they need to come out now? They might need a few more days." he said nervously. Iris, with a trick up her sleeve, pointed to the window and said, "Hey look at that!" With Vash distracted, she quickly cut the stitches before he could turn his head back. "I'm done." she said cheerfully. Vash looked to the suture to see that they had already been cut. "You little sneak..." he said affectionately with furrowed brows. "Takes one to know one." she said and chuckled. Vash's stomach began to growl loudly and said, "Looks like it's time for breakfast." "Yeah, both of us need some grub. I'll meet you downstairs in a little bit." she said and left his bedroom. _No matter how much I isolate myself, she will never leave me. What makes her want to hang around me so much? _he thought while getting into the shower moments later. 

Vash left his bedroom and descended the staircase moments later to go their usual table to eat breakfast. He found Iris, Milly, and Meryl eating pancakes at the table with Wolfwood staring at his hashbrowns on the plate. "Good morning, Mr. Vash. You're looking well." Milly said and shoved a seat out from the table. "Thanks Milly. Those pancakes sure smell good." he said and accepted the seat. He looked to Wolfwood curiously and asked, "What's wrong, Wolfy? Why aren't you touching your hashbrowns?" "I don't know. It looks and smells kinda weird. What is it anyways?" Wolfwood said. "It's potatoes." he replied. "Well what the hell happened to it?" Wolfwood asked while poking it. "You never had this?" Vash asked. "No I always ate food." Wolfwood remarked. "You don't like it?" Milly asked with tear-filled eyes.

Wolfwood looked to Milly's teary eyes, sensed that she was about to cry, and said, "No I love it. I love it." His fork penetrated the hash browns and began cramming it into his mouth with a forged smile. "See? I love it." he said while tolerating the foreign taste.

"Oh good! I'm glad you like it!" Milly said cheerfully. Iris' eyes penetrated Wolfwood's in a cold stare and shook her head yet grinned. Meryl cleared her throat and said, 

"It's good to see you guys not acting like children for once." "What's that supposed to mean?" Vash asked. "Don't give me that crap! It's always something with you. Everyday it's either a gun battle or sword duel or things explode! Gangs chasing after you...You and your lackey!" Meryl exclaimed. "What do you mean by lackey?" Wolfwood asked. She said, "Oh nothing except the fact that you join him and even encourage him in this daily mayhem. And further on..." Meryl continued to lecture them and Vash scooped a little piece of bacon into his fork. His aqua eyes shifted to Wolfwood, and positioned the fork into a mock catapult. Wolfwood nodded slightly and scooped a portion of hash browns into his fork. They nodded in unison and launched their food into Meryl's face on the count of three. Meryl, angry with rage, but blinded by bacon and potatoes, tossed her cup of syrup. She hoped to hit Vash or Wolfwood but instead hit Milly! Milly, scraping the syrup from her face, became angry with the fact that the breakfast that she worked so hard on had been turned to waste. She stood up with a plateful of food and threw the contents at Wolfwood, Vash and Meryl. An all out food war ensued with the ammunition flying and decorating the interior of the room. Iris, sat in dismay, watching the events taking place muttered "Aw what the hell." With a bottle of root beer by her side, she shook it vigorously and sprayed all that came near her. What was once anger had been transformed into joyous laughter. "Then I guess we're all like children!" Vash shouted. "Welcome to the club, Meryl." Wolfwood said and continued to laugh. "Yeah, meet the president!" Iris added and slapped Vash on the back. Vash gave her a dirty look and shifted his eyes to Wolfwood's and pointed at Iris. Wolfwood nodded in return and they each took whipped cream pies from a nearby table. Iris said with a sheepish grin, "Uh-oooh..." "Get her!!!" the men shouted in unison. "Oh shit!" she yelled and bolted across the room with them in pursuit. She outran them by ten feet and ascended the staircase. Vash and Wolfwood ascended each staircase from opposite ends hoping to capture Iris. "Damn she's fast..." Wolfwood muttered. Each assumed that she would be there in the middle of the hall but they were proven incorrect by splattering each other with the pies. "I thought you were Iris." Vash said. "I thought you were too." Wolfwood said in return. Iris' voice shouted, "Peekabo! I see you!" "Huh?!" they uttered in surprise. They saw Iris' form hanging upside down from the beam in the ceiling and sprayed them with a can of whipped cream in each hand. 

She heard a crackling from beneath her legs and eyed a crack forming into the aged wood.   
"This is not good..." she said nervously.. "Can you jump down?" Wolfwood asked. 

"I think so..." she replied. She performed a somersault from the beam with a grunt and plopped upon the hallway floor just as the beam collapsed to the ground floor thirty feet below. "That was close!" Vash exclaimed. "Yeah it was. I'm not pulling another stunt like that one again." she said. "I hope you learned your lesson. Vash is a perfect example when it comes to performing stupid stunts." Wolfwood said and lifted her from the floor. "Now it's a safety lecture..." he complained. "Well, it's true..." Wolfwood said.

"The truth hurts." he said. "Don't worry Vash. You'll still be my favorite daredevil." she said assuringly with a chuckle. "Well at least **somebody** appreciates my stunts." he said with a grin. 

"Hello?" a boy's voice could be heard from the entrance. Iris turned her attention to the source of the sound to see a boy who seemed ten years old enter the Saloon. He had a short crop of sandy blond hair and blue eyes dressed in a white t shirt and brown overalls. The boy seem puzzled to see the interior decorated with thrown food and workers cleaning the mess from the food war. "We have a visitor." Iris said and descended the staircase. She approached the boy and said, "You're a cute little boy. Where's your parents?" "I have no parents and I'm not a little kid. I've held my own all my life." he said in a cocky manner. "I'm sure you can but it's a shame that you do not have any parents." she said sympathetically. "I didn't come here to talk about my parents.

I'm here for a job." he said. "What experience do you have?" she asked. _More than you'll ever now..._he thought. "I can do anything you need me to. If it's either cooking, cleaning, hauling...I can do it." he replied confidently. "I'm sure you can do well in cooking and cleaning, but for hauling you need an adult to help you. I don't want your spine to crack in half because of it." she said. "Don't give me that crap. I'm alot stronger than you think I am. I don't help from an adult." he said spitefully. Iris did not take any offense to his tone but said, "Okay, but if you do need help don't hesitate to ask." 

"Whatever. Do I got the job?" he asked. "Well the co-worker is nothing without knowing a name." she said. "It's Justin." he replied. "Well it's nice to meet you, Mr. Justin. I'm Iris Bloodworth. But you can just call me Iris." she said. "Yeah yeah...When do I start?" he asked. "You can start immediately the girls need some help cleaning the huge mess on the walls." she said. Justin grabbed a nearby bucket and mop from behind the counter and performed the task assigned to him. "If you finish it in less than a half an a hour there's a treat for ya!" she called out to him. Justin ignored her and proceeded to clean the mess. 

Iris could not help but feel strange emotions from this child that just arrived. She kept a calm persona since his arrival and helped clean the mess from the windows and gather the dirty dishes from the tables. His strong attitude did not phase her happy disposition and hummed softly beneath her breath while scrubbing the filthy plates. Meryl arrived with a another pile of dirty dishes and said, "That kid is so rude! He thinks he's all high and mighty!" "Well, **think** about it, Meryl. He looks like he's been through hell and I don't really blame him. I think he will master manners soon." Iris said and received the pile graciously. "Do you have any idea what he just did?!" she shouted. "What was it?" Iris asked. "I went to greet him and asked him how he was doing. You know just to get to know the little guy then he said 'Could you please leave me **alone**? I'm here to work Not to socialize with your little fanny club.' I said to him 'Sorry to bother you kid. I was just being friendly.' 'It's okay you can't help but be a woman. It's only natural for you to bother a man with your petty feelings.'" Meryl replied in a flustered manner. 

"Well with **our** influence we can change that in time." Iris said. "Oh I'll influence him!" she agreed while shaking a fist. Iris laughed and said, "You shouldn't let what he says get to you. The only way to beat him is not give him what he wants." "I'm going to go to the market and get some potatoes for the Saloon. Maybe that'll help me settle down." Meryl said. She watched Meryl leave the kitchen area and muttered, :"He's making friends already..."

Justin peeked over the threshold to see her washing the dishes. A voice spoke within his subconscious that said _Are you in yet? _Justin's subconscious voice replied with _Yes, I was able to get a job working with them today _ The voice said _Good the mission stands. Find out everything you can. I'll talk to you again tomorrow night. Don't screw this up_

"Have you came for more supplies?" she asked, suddenly. Surprised by the fact that she knew he was there, he quickly fabricated a response. "I-I-I need some more soap water for the bucket." he said in a stutter. "Okay hold the bucket steady and I'll fill it for you." she said and readied the hose from the sink. He approached her and presented the bucket to have it filled with soapy hot water. "How's the mopping coming along?" she asked casually. "I'll be done in a few minutes." he said blankly. "Do you have a place to stay? We have plenty of spare bedrooms upstairs." she offered. "Alright, I can use something other than an alley to sleep in." he replied. "Good. If you need any towels or any provisions, again don't hesitate to ask." she said. He nodded his head and continued to stare at the bucket being filled. She looked to him in concern to see a slash scar upon his neck and leaned curiously with a squinted eyes to get a closer look. "Why are you looking at me like that?!" he asked spitefully. "Sorry, I didn't mean to look at your scar on your neck.." she said sheepishly. He gave her a snooty look and walked away with the mop and bucket to finish his assignment. She released a sigh of relief and finished scrubbing the dishes.

Vash and Wolfwood entered the Saloon, arguing over the affections of a girl. Their loud voices disrupted the peaceful atmosphere. "I told you she looked at me first!" Vash shouted. "She was ignoring you the whole time!" Wolfwood shouted in response. 

"Please, who can resist this face?" he said with a hand to his chin. "No, girl wants a skinny, pudgy guy like you." Wolfwood remarked. As Vash was about to respond, he was approached by Justin who said, "Can I help you, guys? Or just kick you kick out?"

Vash's attention was directed to the child said, "What's with the little kid? He thinks he **works** here or something." "Three things. One, I'm not a little kid. Second thing, I **do** work here. I was **hired** by **Ms. Bloodworth**. And three, if you don't buy something. I'll **throw** you out with my bare hands." Justin said and gave him a cold stare. "Relax, kid. We work here too." Vash said. "You know if you're working here you shouldn't treat adults who walk in here like that." Wolfwood said. "I don't have time for this." Justin said and turned away. He went to pick up a rag and clean the tables. _I can't believe I have to work with these idiots. _he thought. 

Vash and Wolfwood entered the back room to see Milly cleaning the glass mugs with a rag. "Does that kid really work here?" Wolfwood asked. "Yes, he started working here an hour ago." Milly answered. "He has quite a loud mouth on him." Vash remarked.

"Iris and him get along just fine." Milly said. "Why would his parents let him work here at such a young age?" Wolfwood inquired. "He said he didn't have any parents besides go easy on him. He's probably had a rough life." Milly said. "Poor kid." Vash said.

Justin had been proven quite useful to the women as they prepared for the lunch time rush. Meryl returned with bags of potatoes and other produce needed to feed the hungry people. The women began to prepare the meals while Justin served the people as they entered and placed their orders. Vash and Wolfwood went off to perform errands of their own. Wolfwood departed from his friend to go shopping for children's toys in hope to lift Justin's spirits. Vash took the jeep to pick up brand new chairs at the request of Ferguson Rockerfeller the proprietor of the Saloon. 

On his way to his destination, he came across a street full of people. His foot nudged the brake pedal, to his shock it failed to function. He noticed that he did not slow down either, despite his foot being of the gas pedal. Vash yelled warnings to the people to move out of the path of the speeding vechile. He began maneuvering the jeep recklessly to avoid all the pedestrians. As he was at the end of this torment, a wagon full of women and children came right out in front of him. He threw the jeep into a tight turn with two of the wheels on the right side lifting up and barely avoided the wagon. His new trajectory slammed through a wooden fence and hit a steep sand hill from behind it, causing the jeep to fly in mid air. The jeep collided through a roof in a nearby barn and came flying out of its front doors. His vechile barreled into the desert. Vash attempted to steer it towards the town but the steering seemed to have been destroyed after the tremendous crash. _This is not good! This is not good at all! At least there is no people to worry about injuring _he thought with gritted teeth. He reached for the ignition key in order for the engine to be switched off. The key had been switched off and removed, and to Vash's dismay, the vechile kept racing forward independently. "Is this thing possessed?! Why won't you stop?!" he shouted and pounded a fist on the dashboard.

He withdrew his gun and readied it to shoot at the engine when the engine mysteriously shut off and the vechile rolled to a complete stop. Vash, with a confused expression on his face, stepped out of the vechile and out of anger he kicked the hood. The front wheels popped off and the front of the vechile slammed down on his right foot. "OWWWW!!!" he screamed in pain while jerking his right foot out from beneath the bumper.

"This possibly couldn't get any worse..." he complained. The rear wheels of the jeep popped off, as the rear of the jeep slammed upon the ground, the terrain began to rumble from beneath Vash's feet. "I was wrong...It's getting worse..." he said sheepishly.

The ground gave way from beneath him and the vechile, causing him to plummet into the earth. Vash slowly gained his composure and stood erect to regain his bearings. 

He looked upward to see that he had fallen fifty feet with no way to climb towards the opening. His eyes shifted to his right to observe a tunnel that lead into the distance. A sigh had been exhaled, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Looks like this adventure is just beginning." He began to enter the tunnel in hope to find an exit. 

Meanwhile, Wolfwood arrived to the largest toy store in town owned by the famous Mr. Pumpernickel who had been known for his great toys and eccentric child like manner.

Wolfwood began to checking out the displays of toys ranging from wooden trains to stuffed teddy bears and action figures when an old skinny pompous old man jumped in front of him asking eccentrically, "Can I help you looking for anything? Anything for a young lad perhaps?" "Yes, actually.." Wolfwood began to reply when the old man grabbed his arm and began to jerk him around the toy store pointing out many toys, showing them off as a child would. "Here's my finest model of a sand steamer. Has excellent craftsmanship, adjustable and movable parts and realistic paint detail. Kids get a kick out of this one and it is part of my personal favorites." Mr. Pumpernickel said.

He jerked him over to another display and said, "Here are the many models of Frisbees. We have plastic, wood, and metal Frisbees. They come in all sizes and colors and this one right here even glows in the dark. Another personal favorite." he said. 

The toy store owner again jerks him to another counter with a mini electric Ferris wheel.

"This one here is my most favorite. The kids get to build it then play with it. It has authentic paint schemes. Tiny people you can move around. Realistic structures on them. It even has small flickering lights for that extra realism with a music box. All for the price of two hundred double dollars. You try finding a better price anywhere else."

he said. "Look...I'm looking for a few simple toys...I have a low budget..." Wolfwood said slowly. The old man thought for a moment, snapped his fingers and said, "I got it! I know just what you're looking for." He grabbed Wolfwood by the arm again and jerked him towards another display case with him in tow. "In this case here we have spin tops, yo-yos of many varieties, and some paddleballs. They are only five double dollars each." he said. Wolfwood grinned and said, "This is just what I had in mind. I'll take one of each." "Excellent choice, sir!" he exclaimed while gathering the merchandise. The old man skipped back to the register as jolly and child-like as could be. He wrapped the toys and opened the register awaiting the needed currency. Wolfwood paid the man and hurried off with his gifts, leaving the store as fast as he could. As he made outside of the store, he stopped, took a deep breath and said to himself, "That's probably the weirdest man I've ever met." He shook his head and began to return to the Saloon with his gifts for Justin. 

It had been an hour since Vash's journey through the tunnel. The light was very dim and he had to use his hands to guide himself along the wall. "When will this tunnel end? Wonder how it got here?" he said to himself. As he finished his sentence a pillar of rock collided into his face and with intense pain he yelled enough curses to melt a church. 

While rubbing his sore face, he continued to walk further to the other side of the tunnel.

As he moved through the darkness, he began to hear the sound of running water. He started moving quickly to find the source of the sound in hopes to quench his thirst. 

He approached the spot that he believed the water was located, seemed to be behind the side of the tunnel wall. His fist knocked the wall to test it's strength and thickness. It seemed to thick to puncture so he decided to continue his journey. As he stepped away from the wall, he began to hear a cracking sound from behind him. He turned around to see the whole wall crumble and tidal wave of water came rushing out of the hole. 

Vash began to run as fast his legs will carry him to outrun the water flow. "Why can't this day go right?! Why does this keep happening to me?! All I wanted to do was pick up some furniture but instead it's chaos in some form or another!" he yelled as he fled from the raging flood. As hard as Vash tried, the water eventually apprehended him by violently slamming into his legs and carried him within its strong current. The water jerked him through a series of tunnels, being tossed about like a rag doll, and he was finally deposited into a vast underground lake. He swam to the shoreline of the lake to recuperate and exhaled a sigh of relief. "Phew! I thought that was the end!" he exclaimed happily while panting. He laid upon his back to take a small nap and regain his energy. 

"Hey barkeep! Where's my liquor!" a heavy set man with dark skin shouted from the bar counter. "Coming sir!" Meryl yelled with bottles of liquor in her hands. She quickly served the drinks to all the gentlemen and left into the dining room to help Iris serve customers. The Saloon had been in the middle of its mid day rush with Iris greeting and serving, Milly cooking the food, Meryl tending the bar and assisting Iris with Justin cleaning tables and helping Milly prepare food. "Hey Milly! Is the food ready for table 13 or 15?" Iris asked impatiently. "I'm putting it on the plates now." Milly replied with a smile. "I've never seen it so busy before." she added while handing Iris the food. 

"It's good for business and Mr. Rockerfeller will be happy with us, even give us a raise." Iris said. "That would be wonderful!" she exclaimed happily. Iris took the food promptly to the tables and ran to the door to greet more customers. As Milly was preparing some shrimp, Justin came to the kitchen with a bucket full of dishes, and dumped them into the sink and began washing them as quick as he could before the clean dishes would run out. 

"How do you like the job so far?" Milly inquired. "Work's work." he muttered and continued to scrub a plate. "It's nice to have you working here, we needed the extra help." she commented. Justin continued to perform his task with out a response. 

Milly was saddened by his silence and unhappiness, she believed every child should be happy and this became a concern to her. As much as she wanted to help Justin, she realized now was not an appropriate time. She sighed and keep up with the work on demand. 

Meryl darted from spot to spot, trying to keep up with orders and tend to the bar. 

__

Where are those two?! Wolfwood leaves during the mid day rush and Vash should have been back by now! I swear those two are encouragable ! Who knows what kind of trouble Vash is getting into right now! Meryl thought in frustration. Iris spotted a figure approach the door, she ran to greet the customer only to see it was Wolfwood entering. 

"Hiya, Wolfy! Where have you been?!" she said cheerfully. Wolfwood presented the bag full of gifts. "These are for Justin. I thought that they may help cheer him up." he replied. "That's sweet of you. Put them aside for now until it slows down. You can help Meryl with bar." she said while grinning. Wolfwood nodded his head and had placed the bag within the broom closet. _I can't wait to see the look on his face when he gets the toys. It will be nice to see him smile for once _Iris thought optimistically. Wolfwood headed over to the bar to relieve Meryl so she could assist Iris. "Finally you've graced us with your presence." Meryl said sarcastically. "Sorry for being tardy, I had to get something for Justin." Wolfwood explained. "Next time choose a slower part of the day instead just leaving during a rush." Meryl said. "Calm down. It won't happen again. Instead of chewing my head off why don't you help Iris." he said. Meryl began to step away to assist Iris and she turned around and quickly asked, :"Hey Wolfwood, have you seen Vash by chance?" "No, he's not back yet?" Wolfwood inquired. "Who knows with that guy. He's probably causing trouble as we speak." Meryl said and exhaled a sigh. 

"I'm sure he's alright. He probably won't be gone too much longer." he assured her. 

She turned away and went to start taking orders. 

After two hours, of long hard work, the Saloon began to quiet down. Wolfwood and Justin began cleaning the floors and counters while serving the few remaining customers.

The women after cleaning the kitchen decided to go to the small pond behind the restaurant to bathe and relax their sore muscles. They discarded their clothes while discussing the daily events. Iris felt a tad bit awkward shedding her clothing and quickly stepping into the pond, submerging most of her body. Meryl and Milly followed and the women began to lay back and relax. "You seem perfect at your duties Iris." Meryl said.

"What makes you say that? I just do my best." Iris said modestly. "Because you don't take any offense to what the guys say and they cooperate with you very well." Meryl said. 

"It's all in how you approach them. I was raised by mostly male figures." Iris said. 

"Funny I was raised by mostly my sisters." Milly said. "I think we're doing fine on our own." Meryl said. "Yeah, I've noticed that you girls and I get along because we share the want to be independent." Iris said. The women laid theirs heads back and gazed upon the setting suns. 

Vash awoke feeling well rested and energized, began to search for an exit. He checked every crevice of the underground structure but failed to find a way out. He looked at the lake and began to ponder _This lake must go somewhere else. Water's flowing in but the water level is not rising. Maybe I should jump into the lake and look for some crevice where the water's escaping _he thought. He leaped to the body of water and submerged himself to search for the desired crevice. He noticed a small underwater cave and decided to take a few deep breaths before entering. He pulled in as much as he could and submerged himself, swimming at a fast pace. As he entered the cave, he noticed a small light at the end of it. He swam to the end of it and looked upward to see a small hole leading to the surface. It was too small for him to swim through, so he began to pound frantically as his air supply began to wear out. After many attempts, he finally broke through the hole and frantically swam as quickly to the surface. He leaped out of the water, gasping for air, he looked about himself to see Iris, Meryl, Milly nude with their breasts exposed. The women, in complete shock, covered their breasts with their arms and at once, pounded Vash to a pulp. Vash darted away from them with a smile that went from ear to ear, barged into the Saloon and ran upstairs to his bedroom to hide from the women. Wolfwood and Justin looked at each other strangely and continued back to their tasks when the women stormed in barely dressed and red with anger. "Alright! Where did he go?!" Meryl demanded. Wolfwood pointed to the ceiling and the women began to march up the staircase. "Hey Milly! What's wrong?" he asked. "Vash saw all three of us naked." she answered while following Meryl and Iris up the stairs. Justin, with his eyes wide open, muttered, "Lucky bastard." Wolfwood looked to Justin and remarked, "That's the first thing you've said that I can agree with." The two nodded to each other with a smile and returned to work thinking naughty thoughts of the women. 

The women barged into Vash's bedroom to find it empty. Iris approached the bed and said, "You might as well show yourself. I know you're there." "No, I'm not coming out!" he protested. Meryl knelt down, reached under the bed and a few squeals had been released as she pulled him out of the hiding place by the ear lobe. "What in the hell were you thinking, Broom head?!" Meryl demanded. "It's all been an accident! Honest!" Vash said in a whining tone. "Suuuuure it was..." Iris said sarcastically. "Did you hide in the lake all this time?!" Milly said with aggravation. "No! It's all been a huge misunderstanding! I got in the jeep to pick up the furniture but the gas and brake pedals failed so I turned the jeep to avoid a crowd, causing me to hit a dirt hill which knocked the jeep into the air and broke the steering when it hit the ground, setting the jeep on a non stop trajectory to the desert. The vechile mysteriously came to a halt and when I stepped out, the ground collapsed beneath me causing me to fall into the tunnel. I followed the tunnel, trying find a way out, when it flooded with water and the current brought me to an underground lake. After exploring, I found an underwater cave that lead to an opening, allowing me to finally get to the surface which happened to be where you were bathing." Vash explained. "That's the most stupidest story I've ever heard! You're just a peeping tom." Meryl said. "No, I swear it's the truth! You can even look for the wrecked jeep!" Vash insisted. "Are you sure you weren't peeping at us, Mr Vash?" Milly asked, innocently. "No." he replied confidently. "I knew you weren't like that, Mr. Vash!" Milly exclaimed joyfully. "I can't believe you're buying that pathetic story, Milly! You shouldn't be so naive." Meryl said with exaspiration.. "Mr. Vash has never lied to us before." Milly insisted. As Meryl was about to respond to Milly, Iris raised her hand to signal silence. Her eyes looked directly into Vash's eyes, seeming to read his thoughts and said confidently, "I believe him." "What? You believe him?! Not you too! I thought you had more sense!" Meryl said. "He's telling the truth. So drop it, Meryl. He's been through enough already." Iris said firmly. Meryl shook her head in disbelief and stormed out of the bedroom. Iris and Milly were overjoyed with Vash's innocence, they both leaned over to embrace him and gave him kisses upon his cheeks. "I'm sorry I lost my temper." Iris said apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Mr Vash!" Milly said with teary eyes. Vash, overwhelmed by the attention and kisses from two beautiful women, blushed a bright pink with a wide smile. "I forgive you, lovely girls..." he said while embracing them tightly with each arm. The girls after making their peace, left the bedroom to make tea before retiring for the night. Vash sat upon the bed and thought _Today started crappy in the beginning but it turned out better in the end._


	11. Special Delivery

Trigun Special Delivery 11

The six friends awoke the next morning to a hurricane of wind hallowing through the streets. They did not expect many customers to arrive due to the weather but they prepared the Saloon nevertheless. Milly and Iris placed fresh tablecloths, silverware and condiments upon the tables. Vash had been in the back of the building, removing the food from the freezer to thaw and diced the vegetables for later meals. Meryl wandered about the premises with a checklist attached to a clipboard and to survey what supplies were needed for the day. Wolfwood had been at the bar who had stocked it with clean glasses and insured there was a necessary amount of sawdust around each stool. 

Justin peeked through the windows to watch for any approaching customers. "I doubt anyone's coming. What's the point of even opening?" he said to Iris who happened to be near by. "Because we have a business to run. We can't make money if we close because of a little dust." Iris replied. "Maybe, but I still say it's pointless." he said in a condescending manner. "Think what you want but we still have to open it." she said and walked away.. The wind continued to howl louder as trash and other projectiles collided into the walls of the building. "I never saw it this rough before." Milly remarked. 

"Yeah, look at the people struggling to walk in it." Meryl commented. They watched several men leaning against the gusts, trudging their legs and bending their heads to make their way into the street. 

Several hours passed by and the crew struggled to find ways to pass the time. Milly and Wolfwood played chess at one table. Meryl, Iris and Vash played a game of charades. Justin observed them closely, trying to find words to place in his telepathic report in a dark corner of the dining room. He thought _What words can I use to describe them? Milly is the sweet one. Meryl is always irate. Wolfwood is the calm one who is brave. Vash is easily swayed by his emotions. And Iris?.... _A right hand supported his chin, holding his left elbow as he paused in mid thought. _Iris is mysterious with a empathetic nature. Her and that crybaby are as dangerous as each other. Legato does not have any idea what force he is reckoning with. _Another voice seemed to intrude into his thoughts and said _Is that **all **the information you have gathered? You disappoint me, old man. I assumed that you would be more observant. _Justin's eyes widened, alarmed with the sudden connection. His subconscious spoke sharply and replied _There **is** more if you stop breathing down my neck! _Legato's voice said in calm manner _I'm waiting..._

His face formed into a scowling expression and answered _Vash wears his heart on his sleeve but is protective over his friends and over-exerts himself. Iris' outward behavior is different from her inner thoughts and can be unpredictable. One quality they do share is...determination. _There had been a moment of silence and Legato's voice said in a sensible manner_ Seems to me the best solution to this problem is to separate them. Won't you agree? _Justin looked to the group and pondered upon the question, _I agree. _Legato said _I'm glad to see that were are on the same track. _Justin sighed impatiently and told him: _Don't worry I'll get you the information that you need. Just give me more time. _

Legato said sternly _You have two days. I expect to be told everything I need to know. For the most part investigate their weaknesses. Don't make me do this myself, old man. Death is the only punishment for failure _Justin's eyes stared at the floor and nodded, _Yes sir. _"Hey, Justin! Want to play charades?" Vash's voice called out him. He jumped within his seat as though electrocuted by live wire and said, "Sure." _I may not want to participate in such a childish game with such a childish man but I only have two days to figure this guy out._ Justin thought while joining the group.

Meryl stood up and began her turn in front of the players and said confidently, "Try to figure this one out." She approached the easel, grabbed the marker from the tray, and began to draw a city on the parchment, her finger pointed at Vash, then took the marker and began to scribble upon vigorously as though the buildings were crumbling. The three of them turned to each other for answers. "What do you think it is?" Vash asked innocently to Justin and Iris. "Well she pointed at you so it must mean something." Iris said logically. "Is it a dust storm?" Justin asked Meryl. She shook her head to indicated a negative response. "Is it a typhoon?" Iris asked. Meryl cocked her head to the side that translated to a "sort of" and pointed at Vash again. "Is it what you look like before you put your make-up and wig on?" Vash asked spitefully. Meryl jumped upon Vash, slamming him into the floor while yelling, "It's destruction you moron!!!! It's what happens to every city you go through and it's what I have to dodge while following a buffoon like you!!!!" Iris and Justin laughed heartily at this event as Vash screamed, "Get off of me!!!" "Who's going next?" Justin asked. "Hmmm....Good question..." Iris said while contemplating, "Let's have Vash go next." Vash pulled himself from the floor and said, "I know what my charade should be. You'll never guess what it is." "Try me." Justin said with a cocky smile. Vash approached the easel, picking up the marker, standing before the blank paper silently for a moment, then the marker began to create the drawing. A tree began to form upon the paper, scribbling the grass beneath the trunk, drawing stick figures of children playing ball beneath the branches. He stepped aside and gestured to the players to challenge them to answer him. "Is it a playground?" Justin asked. "Close..." Vash answered. "Is it a day care center?" Meryl asked. "Nope. Again you're close." he replied. Iris looked at the paper curiously, her eyes traveled to Vash's face, grinned and said, "I think I know what it is..." "What?" Justin and Meryl asked in unison. "It's his idea on what paradise should be." she answered, confidently. "How in the hell did you figure that out?!" Vash exclaimed. "It was just a lucky guess..." Iris said with a wide smile while scratching the back of her head with closed eyes as she blushed. _So that's what explains her empathy. She senses the thoughts of those she observes closely. Does she sense my intentions? I better not underestimate this one._ Justin thought as he looked to Iris warily. "Maybe I can do one that is really hard to figure out." Justin said as he rose from his seat and approached the easel. His fingers clutched the marker in delicate manner, positioning the marker as though a professional artist would hold it. The point hovered over the parchment as he wore a critical expression on his youthful face. "Hmmm..." he said with a tongue in cheek. "Are you ready, yet?" Meryl asked impatiently. "I'm thinking!" Justin exclaimed. He began to draw a table upon the paper, with a crystal vase resting on it. The marker made a few brushes strokes indicating a breeze flowing by. Inside the vase a stem began to form with a drooping flower inside it of it, the petals flowing in the breeze. Justin placed the marker on the tray, sighed and stepped aside for the players to view. Meryl and Iris gazed upon such beautiful detail from the drawing. "Well, I'm waiting..." Justin said impatiently. "It's just beautiful..." Meryl said with awe. "Showoff..." Vash muttered. Iris nudged Vash and said, "It's natural to be jealous so get over it." "How can that little kid draw better than me?!" Vash shouted, being riddled with envy. "Come on...I'm still waiting for questions..." Justin insisted. Meryl stared at the drawing of the wilting flower and said, "It is death?"

"You're not as dumb as I thought you were. You are correct!" Justin exclaimed sarcastically. "Hey! Take that back!" Meryl shouted. "Geez, can't anyone settle down anymore?" Iris remarked. 

"Hey the storm stopped!" Vash said cheerfully. They looked to the windows to see that the wind had ceased to toss any debris on the ground. "It's about time the storm stopped. I'm glad the stupid game is over." Justin remarked. "Then why did you play it in the first place?" Iris asked curiously. "Because I felt like it." he replied. Vash looked to Justin in wonder and thought _Maybe he's not ready to show his true self yet. He's hiding something._

Thundering footsteps hammered upon the floorboards of the Saloon, the group paused poised for service of a potential customer, instead a blond man in a blue uniform with a clipboard entered the Saloon. "Which one of ya is a Mr. Nicholas D. Wolfwood?! I've got a package outside for him!" "I'm Wolfwood. What's the package?" Wolfwood asked as he approached the man. "Sorry sir. I have no time to talk. Sign here. The package is outside." he said in a brisk manner. "Okay." Wolfwood said and accepted the pen and signed his name on the sheet upon his clipboard. "Thank you. You have a good day sir." the man said blankly and departed hastily. Wolfwood dashed outside to see what the special delivery had been and saw a large package in a wooden crate sit outside of the Saloon. "I wonder what it could be..." he said, curiously. He returned to the Saloon and yelled, "Anyone got a crowbar?!" "A crowbar?" Milly asked. "Yeah, a crow bar that you use to pry open stuff with. Do we have one?:" Wolfwood asked. 

"You can use my sword." Iris offered. "Good idea." he said. Iris gave him the sheathed sword and said, "Don't cut yourself okay?" "I'll be careful." he said and left the Saloon. 

He unsheathed the sword, plunged the blade between two boards and preyed open the box. "Angelina?..." he said in surprise, dropping the sword to the ground.. The boards of the box fell to the ground to reveal the red motorcycle sitting before him with a red ribbon tied to the handlebars. He sprang upon the motorcycle's gas tank, embraced it tightly and shouted with joy, "Angelina, I missed you!!!" His friends left the Saloon to see the commotion and observed him hugging it and kissing the metal as though it were a person. "An old friend of yours?" Vash asked, while approaching the motorcycle. 

"Yeah, I thought she was gone for good! She broke down about 150 iles away from here. It's a miracle that she's back!" Wolfwood said, cheerfully. "I'm happy that you got your bike back, Mr. Priest!" Milly said, happily. "Do you know anyone who would send it here?" Meryl asked, suspiciously. "No, not anyone I know..." Wolfwood said while scratching his head in puzzled manner. Iris approached the handlebars and examined the tag attatched to the ribbon, "That's funny, it does not say specifically who the sender is. It just says 'From a friend'." "Are you **sure** you don't know anyone that would send it to you?" Meryl asked once more in the same manner. "Again no. I absolutely don't know who would send it." Wolfwood said. Iris gave Meryl a nod that indicated that she agreed with her suspicions. 

Throughout the day, Wolfwood gave Angelina an oil change and tune-up, whistling while performing the tasks in the back lot of the building. Vash decided to go the general store at the other side of town to get cleaning supplies for the Saloon and returned shortly as the women did their necessary shopping for food and conveniences. It had been a peaceful day since not one customer arrived at the Saloon which gave Justin more time to expand upon his report and change the lightbulbs in the lamps. 

The suns began to set, as the women began their return with their arms full of paperbags and sweat saturated foreheads. To their shock and horror they noticed a swarm of panic stricken people with buckets water rushing past them several yards away from their Saloon. "I wonder what's going on?" Milly asked, curiously while tilting her head in their direction. "It could be a disaster." Meryl suggested. "I don't like the looks of this..." Iris said uneasily. "Let's go find out!" Meryl shouted and followed the swarm in a running pace. "Wait up, Meryl!" Milly called. Iris and Milly chased Meryl, panting from the heavy weights of the shopping bags and running in the heat. They stopped in front of the Rockerfeller to find it enveloped in orange flames. "HOLY SHIT!!!!" they yelled in unison and dropped the bags to the sandy ground. They watched the people attempting to douse the flames with their water buckets frantically. "Who could have done this?" Milly asked with teary eyes. "I don't know, Milly...." Meryl said quietly. They ran further to the Saloon to discover Vash and Wolfwood laying face down on the ground. "Vash! Wolfwood! What the hell happened?!" Meryl asked angrily. "It turned out that my bike was a death trap..." Wolfwood said solemnly as they sat upon their haunches.

"I smelled nytro glycerin right when he revved the engine and it exploded, which lead to the burning and us on the ground." Vash added. "I **knew **that bike was no miracle!" Meryl said, being astounded. Iris, without hesitating, took the rose designed handkerchief and made it into a make-shift mask bound behind her head. "What are you doing?" Vash asked. "Justin is still inside. I'm going in..." Iris said, boldly while soaking her being with the water from a nearby bucket on the ground. "Oh no you're not!" Wolfwood disagreed. Iris did not listen nor heeded the pleadings of her friends as she dashed inside the inferno of a building. Wolfwood and Vash sprang to their feet momentarily with stern facial expressions. "Women..." Wolfwood muttered. "Yeah, I know..." Vash agreed. "Oh shit!! The gas stoves!!! I better get in there or we'll have a crater!!!" Wolfwood shouted frantically and dashed inside. "You girls stay put. I'll be back with a sand tractor to smother the fire!" Vash said and quickly took off at lightning speed. 

Iris squinted her eyes from the brilliant flames and walked in a squatting position in order not to inhale the black smoke. She focused on finding Justin's presence and traced the frightened emotions up the stair case. Her senses also told her that Wolfwood was downstairs in the back room, shutting down the gas stoves in order not to increase the inferno. "Thanks Wolfwood...You've always been there whenever it was ugly..." she said quietly. "Don't mention it, red! Just get the boy out of here!!!" Wolfwood called out to her as loud as his lungs could project. She had been surprised to hear him respond to her and continued her rescue. "JUSTIN!!!! HANG IN THERE!!! I'M COMING!!!!" Iris yelled over the roaring blaze. She busted the door open with a sweeping kick to the door and ran into the room to find his leg pinned beneath a fallen support beam. "Go! Get out of here while you still have the chance! You have a long life ahead of you! It's time for this old soul to meet his Creator!' Justin shouted to her. "Don't talk like that! I'm going to rescue you wether you like it or not!" Iris shouted while squatting before him. Her hands grasped the beam, gently lifting it from his leg, and dropping it the floor with a loud thump. _Why did he call himself an "**old soul**"? Is he older than he seems? His appearance **does** make a convincing disguise. I'll get my answers later but for now I have to make sure he **lives** _Iris thought logically. She faced her back towards him and lifted him upon her back. "Whatever you do, don't let go!" she shouted while making her way to the window. "Just go already before we both die!" he shouted in return as his legs wrapped around her torso and gripped her shoulders. She opened the window and crawled out onto the roof that had been thirty feet above the ground. "MERYL!!! MILLY!!!! GET US SOMETHING TO CATCH US WITH!!! HURRY!!! THERE'S NOT MUCH TIME LEFT!!!" Iris called out them. The women ran to a nearby wagon and snatched a tarp, then stretched the cloth below them. Wolfwood had emerged just in time to see them form their net and assisted them. "Hold it tight, girls! Don't let it slack at all!" Wolfwood said. Meryl and Milly gripped the cloth tighter and nodded to him. "It's safe now! Jump!" he called out them. "You ready to jump, little guy?" she asked. "You got to be kidding me!" Justin exclaimed in fright. "Just go before me. I'll come after you." she said gently. He released his grip from her shoulders, landed on the roof upon one foot and simply jumped. He successfully fell into the tarp and been lowered to the ground. "COME ON, IRIS!!! JUMP!!!" Milly called out to her. Iris jumped from the ledge and landed upon the tarp perfectly. "I'm sure glad that's over!" Iris exclaimed, removing the mask from her face and being lowered upon the ground. Justin's eyelids grew heavy as he fell unconscious to the sandy terrain. Iris lifted his sleeping form into her arms and heard the rumbling engine of a sand tractor. She cocked her head to the left to see Vash driving the vechile towards the blazing building and depositing the sand. The crowd cheered to see the fire being completely smothered. Iris sensed Wolfwood's distemperment and had been ready to utter a lecture, until she said, "You can yell at me later. We need to get him to a doctor to have him be healed." "Yes...you're right...Come on, it should be at least a quarter of an ile from here." he said solemnly. They ran together to their destination with tears streaming down Iris' face. _I don't care what you say...I won't let you die yet..._ she thought in desperation.

Wolfwood and Iris made it to the hospital, panting. Wolfwood ran to the nurse's desk, ringing the bell violently and yelling, "We've got an injured boy here! He needs help!!!" An elderly woman in a white uniform approached the desk and asked, "What happened?" "He nearly got burnt alive and one of the rafters hurt one of his legs." Iris answered, teary eyed. The elderly woman stepped aside to examine Justin and called out to the doctors at the end of the hall to assist her and they responded by pushing a bed towards them. "Place him on the bed and we'll do what we can to help." she told Iris. Iris settled him gently on the mattress and Wolfwood watched them take him to the end of the hall. She continued to stare into the direction that Justin was escorted to, trying not to cry. A middle aged doctor approached them with the name Dr. Fairbanks scrawled upon his name badge. "Are you the people that brought the boy in?" he asked. They nodded in response. "Well, the good news is that his condition is not serious and there are no fatal injuries. But the bad news is that he has a fractured leg in two places and that crutches are needed." Dr. Fairbanks said, seriously. "Thank you, Dr. Fairbanks. That's all we needed to hear." Wolfwood said while shaking his hand. "You can visit him at the room to the right at the end of the hall." he said while leaving them. "It's too bad that we don't have anything to cheer him up with." Iris said while looking to the floor. "Oh crap! I forgot the toys I got him a few days ago." Wolfwood exclaimed. "Where are they?" she asked. "I put it in the storage closet when if was really busy. I forgot all about it!" he exclaimed. "Do you think that you can salvage it while I go check on Justin? I'm sure the toys are fine because the bin was metal." Iris suggested. "I'll try but there's a chance that they could have melted from the heat, but I'll look anyway." he said doubtfully. "I wish you luck." she said. "Thanks!" Wolfwood yelled while bolting out of the hospital wing. 

Iris walked down the hall and entered Justin's room quietly. He slept peacefully upon the mattress next to the open window. She watched him sleep and turned away to leave until his voice stopped her within mid-step. "Where am I?" he asked, dryly. "You're at the town hospital. Your leg was broken so you need to stay off of it for awhile." Iris replied. calmly. "Why did you bother to rescue me?" he asked while sitting up. "Because I did not want you to die this way." Iris answered as she wiped a few of her tears away with her fingers. "But **you** could have died that way instead." he objected. "I just felt sorry for you and I did not want your life to end in sadness because you've been through too much." she said and sat in a chair next to the bed. "Why would you even bother to care about someone you don't know?" he asked. "I just care for anyone. Don't ask me **why** or **how** I just **do**." she replied and smiled. "You're even stranger than Milly!" he exclaimed. She chuckled and remarked, "I'll take that as a compliment." 

Wolfwood finally made it to the charred remains of the Saloon and rummaged through the former storage areas. "I know it must be around somewhere..." he muttered while shoveling through the debris. He came across a toppled metal storage closet and withdrew a pistol from his black jacket and shot the lock off with a single shot. "Open sesame..." he said and preyed open the doors. The brown bag of toys rested from within and he snatched the bag, opened it and released a sigh of relief that they are in good condition. "Wow! I think **this** is the real miracle here!" he said cheerfully and left the debris with a smile. He noticed Vash approaching and heard him ask, "Is Justin okay?"

"His leg got broken but the doctor says that he'll live." Wolfwood replied. "I'm so glad that he's alright!!!" Vash exclaimed happily. "Me too. Believe it or not Iris actually cried for that little brat." Wolfwood said as they walked to the town's hospital.

Fifteen minutes past by and Vash and Wolfwood entered Justin's room with the toys.

"Oh good you're back!" Iris exclaimed happily. "We got something for ya." Wolfwood said and approached the bed. "Is it painkillers?" Justin asked hopefully. "No, something better." Vash said and pulled out a paddleball from the bag. Justin gave them a forged smile and said, "Well, at least I can kill boredom." "Yes, and we have tops in here and a yo-yo." Wolfwood added. "I don't know how to play paddleball." Justin said. "It's easy just watch." Vash said and began to smack the ball back and forth on the paddle. 

"See? It's like your own game of tennis." he added and offered it to Justin. Justin gave him an evil grin and said, "Okay...I get it now..." He took the paddle, and smacked it several times and "accidentally" hit Vash between the eyes with the rubber ball. "Owwww!!!!" he screamed. Wolfwood and Iris could not help but laugh heartilly. "Hey! That was a cheap shot!" Vash shouted. "Sorry...I'm still mastering it.." Justin said innocently. "Would you like to see a trick?" Iris asked Justin. "Okay." he said with a nod. Iris grabbed the yo-yo from the bag and said, "Here's a few tricks my uncle taught me. Watch carefully." They watched her tie the yo-yo to her finger and performing the walk the dog move and the baby in the cradle. "Here comes the around the world shot!" she said cheerfully. Iris tossed the yo-yo, twirled around as the orb at the end of the string glided against the walls, and returned to her hand faithfully. Justin, Wolfwood, and Vash applauded as she took a bow and tossed the yo-yo onto the mattress. "With patience you can do those tricks." she said and grinned to him. 

Wolfwood looked to Justin, being happy that they got the child to smile for once. 

"It's about time that you smiled. I was starting to worry." he remarked. "You should stop worrying about other people so much." Justin said. "Why shouldn't I?" he asked.

"Sometimes strength can be your weakness." Justin replied. "That's the attitude that's making the world worse." Vash said firmly. Justin to turned to Iris, whom he assumed would be the voice of the reason in room and asked, "Come on. You're on my side right?" She gave them each a critical expression and said, "Both of you are right."

"How can it be both?" he asked. "At times your strength can be your weakness but together as one voice with other people your goals reign supreme." Iris replied. 

"Oh I get it! So what you're saying is that other people's strengths can be together as one and they would depend on each other when necessary." Wolfwood said, figuring it out.

"Correct!" she chimed. Justin to looked to them individually and remarked, "You people **are** strange!" "We're not strange. We're just gifted." Vash said with a smile. Iris, Wolfwood and Vash again laughed hysterically. 

Justin began to recall the times when he used to live on the streets and stole food to feed himself. His parents were not the best guidance figures and threw him out of their house when his body refused to age. It had always been the survival of the fittest and any type of compassion was non-existent. These people that took him in, fed him, clothed him, and **saved** him seemed like the mystical people that you meet in fairy tales. The concept that amazed him was meeting them in the flesh which he had a difficult time accepting.

__

Being alone was my strength and it is **also** my weakness. Indeed these people **are** gifted.

he thought and joined their laughter. The three of them paused to hear Justin laughing.

He stopped his laughter and said sternly, "Why are you guys looking at me for?"

"We've never heard you laugh before." Vash answered. "It **has** been a long time since I had a good laugh. It is even a surprise to **me**." Justin said and grinned. He then looked to Iris thoughtfully and said, "I never did thank you for saving my life So thank you Ms. Bloodworth for coming to my rescue." "You're welcome. I couldn't have done it without Vash and Wolfwood. We worked together as a team to get you out of there alive." Iris modestly and gestured to the men standing by the bed. Justin looked to them and said, "Thanks to all **three** of you then." "We're a bunch of heroes aren't we?" Wolfwood asked sarcastically. "Yeah, a tremendous trio!" Vash exclaimed. "With three times the charm!" Iris added. "Oh brother..." Justin muttered with a hand to his forehead. 

"Am I interrupting anything?" Meryl's voice suddenly asked. "No, come on in." Vash said cheerfully. "We came to see if Justin's alright." Milly said as they entered the room.

"I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking." Justin said and grinned to them. "You? Using manners? This is news to me!" Meryl remarked. "I **do** have a nice side." Justin said defensively. "You should show it more often." Milly said and approached the bed. 

"The hotel owners were thoughtful enough to give us several rooms to for free tonight." Meryl said. "That's nice of him. At least we have a place to stay for awhile." Vash said and leaned against the wall. "Who do you think sent that motorcycle here? It can't be just a coincidence." Iris asked. "I think I might know who it could be." Vash said while contemplating. "Who?" Meryl asked. "Someone with a grudge...That's all I know..." he replied solemnly. "I wish this person would have the balls to **show** themselves in **person** if they have something against **any** of us." Iris muttered. "Hey! Don't use that language in front of the kid!" Wolfwood said sternly. "Sorry...Lost my temper..." she said apologetically. "But she does have a point. Whoever this person did this is a **coward**." Vash said with a hint of anger in his tone. "I've got to go outside and blow off some steam." Iris said quietly and left the room. 

"Everyone get down!" Vash yelled and ducked for cover. His friends obeyed him and threw themselves to the floor as Justin hid beneath the blankets. A large rock crashed into the window, shattering glass in every direction. "Is everyone okay?" Wolfwood asked. "Yeah, we're fine..." Meryl replied. "So am I." Milly said and looked to Justin emerging from beneath the blanket . "I'm alright. No glass got on me." he assured her. Vash crawled over to the gray rock to see a message painted in red "Death is your only salvation". His eyes widened in horror upon reading this message and that it had smelled of blood. _Obviously someone is out to get us. I bet it's Knives. It's me he wants. I'm only putting these people in danger because of me. I won't let this happen no matter what it takes! _he thought with an enraged expression on his face. 

The hospital finally admitted Justin and gave him crutches to walk upon. Vash had remained silent with his yellow sunglasses concealing his sorrowful eyes as he walked among the group to the hotel. He continued to think of the dreadful deeds Knives had done in the past and how it disgusted him. Iris noticed his silence and kept her distance from him, assuming that he needed time for **himself** to calm down. The six friends were each wary of the possible dangers taking turns standing watch over the hotel with their weapon of choice, except for Justin. It had been the hour of midnight as it had been Vash's turn to stand watch and stepped outside to relieve Iris from her duty. He had been one foot away until she suddenly spun around and pointed a Magnum .357 at his face. "Oh...it's you..." she said and released a sigh of relief as she placed the gun in her large right leg pocket. "You've got quick reflexes. I would feel safe with you around." he commented. "Just doing my duty.." she said modestly. He stood silently for a moment, she gave him a curious look and asked, "Do you have something important to say?" "In a way I do but it's hard to say it." he admitted. "Take a deep breath..." she said in a motherly tone. Vash inhaled deeply with his cheeks inflated. "Exhale..." she instructed. He obeyed her and slowly released the air between pursed lips. "There! Feel better?" she asked with concern. "Yes, now I can think clearly." he said and gave her a sad smile. "Now...What do you have to say?" she asked, in friendly manner. "First off, I've been exposing you to these dangers and I don't want you to be involved in them any further." he said seriously. "I can handle it, Vash. I've been exposed to enough warzones to call them playgrounds." she said confidently. "I know you can but it can be something beyond your abilities. I just want to protect you from this person who has this heavy grudge and hurt the people I'm close to." Vash explained. Iris looked to him with watery eyes and faced the floorboards "So... Are you saying good bye?" she asked, solemnly. "Yes, until I resolve this grudge match." he answered. "Will we meet again?" she asked once more. "Of course we'll meet again, Iris. I promise." he said assuringly. "Just be careful and come back in one piece..." she said, trying to hold back her tears. "Iris..." he said quietly. She did not look away from the floorboards. "Iris, look at me sweetie..." he said gently and lifted her chin with a thumb and forefinger. Her teary eyes met his and he said, "Please don't cry. You need to be strong. I want you to promise me that you'll protect the girls until I get back." "I promise.." she said softly. His arms enveloped her in a warm embrace as she sobbed quietly into his red coat. She returned the embrace generously, hearing his heart beat steadily from beneath the sternum. A leather gloved hand stroked her hair as her voice had been muffled that said, "I'll miss you, dandelion..." "I'll miss you; too, rainbow girl." he said in response. He released her from his embrace and kissed her upon the forehead. "Goodbye..." he said softly and stepped off the floorboards. She watched him leave with widened eyes while touching the spot where he kissed her. "Goodbye..." she said softly in return.... . 

__


	12. Repaying Debts

Trigun Repaying Debts 12

Vash had been saddened in the duration of the trek through the desert. His legs carried him in a trudging pass as he lugged his large bag over his shoulder. He gazed upon the hazy horizon thinking of what the possible hazardous events could happen in the future. "Why can't things go right for me? It's always people dieing or they **nearly** die. 

Why me? Why can't I get a break?" he complained as tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. He stopped to settle his bag onto the rough rocky terrain and sat upon a rock to rest. His pleasant memories of the times spent with his friends in the Saloon forced him to cry louder, longing to see them once more. "Why can't I **stay** with the girls?! I actually **belonged** there!" he wailed with his hands to his face. Vash wished that he could borrow Iris' rosy handkerchief to wipe away his tears and hear her comforting voice. He missed Milly's freshly brewed tea and the enjoyment of teasing Meryl. The memory of Wolfwood's voice ran in his ears that said, "For the famous outlaw gunman you sure whine alot." "You're right, Wolfwood. I do whine alot..." he said, solemnly, and exhaled a heavy sigh. 

He closed his eyes and heard a ghostly song that resounded with "Soooo....On the first evening, a pebble from somewhere out of nowhere drops upon the dreaming woooooorld...Soooo On the second celestial evening, the children of the pebble join hands and compose a waaaaltz.." His eyes opened to find Rem standing there with her back facing him as the rose petals and her raven hair flowed in the breeze freely. "Rem...I miss you most of all..." he said softly. "I appreciate that, Vash. But now's not the time for that..." she said gently and turned around to face him. "I can't help it...I hate being alone..." he replied. "I'll still be around...In fact I'm closer than you think." she said and smiled to him with closed eyes. "What do you mean, Rem?" he asked quizzically. She opened her eyes to reveal two aqua orbs as she chuckled and faded away among the rose petals in the wind. "REM!!! DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!" he yelled. The transformation of cruel reality changed the rosy atmosphere into the sandy desert that stretched before him as he fell to sandy ground unconscious.

He felt a hand gently shake him and heard an old woman's voice say, "Hey, son. Are you alright?" "Huh?" he uttered the word and slowly opened his eyes. His gaze met a pair of aqua eyes that belonged to an old woman with long flowing gray hair and a kind smile, dressed in a long sleeved yellow dress kneeling before him. "Are you hurt, son?" she asked with concern. "No, just exhausted..." he said in a dry voice. "Looks like you had a pretty nasty bump there on your head. Why don't you come inside and let me you give something to cool yourself?" she asked, politely. "I don't want to impose ma'am." he replied. "You're not imposing at all. I insist that you let me help you." she said and offered a wrinkled hand. He accepted the hand and allowed her to hoist him onto his feet and lean upon her as a crutch towards the rusty silver trailer attached to large brown truck "This is very kind of you, ma'am. What's your name?" he asked as they made their way to the screen door. "My name is Mrs. Celeste Bloodworth. What's yours?" she asked. "Vash the Stampede." he answered. _Her last name is Bloodworth? Could she be a relative to Iris? Naw it couldn't be..._he thought doubtfully. "You don't have to give me your real name if you don't want to, son. You seem too handsome to have the name of a brute." she said gently and opened the door of the trailer. Celeste guided him to a green sofa in the small living room and allowed him to seat himself upon the smooshy cushions."So tell me, Mr. Vash. How come you're out all alone in the middle of the desert?" she asked while walking into the kitchen. "Just passing through." he replied casually. "Wherever it is, I hope you get there without tiring yourself out again." Celeste said while removing a large mug from a cupboard and filling it full of water from the kitchen sink's faucet. "Yeah, I hope so, too." he agreed and smiled to her from his seat. He paused to look at the black and white photographs in picture frames standing upon the coffee table before him. One photograph displayed a couple dressed in a tuxedo and bridal dress kissing at a church altar, the other displayed a little girl wearing overalls with her pigtails tied back in ribbons spraying a vegetable garden with a tall watering can. "Iris..." he said softly as he lifted the frame from the coffee table to have a closer look. Celeste approached Vash to see him stare at the photograph and said, "That's my granddaughter, Iris when she was just a little girl. Sometimes I wonder what she would look like as a young woman." "I bet she's beautiful and has your kind nature." Vash said and accepted the mug full of ice water. "I hope so, but I would like to see her again." she said and settled herself at a rocking chair across from Vash to knit a blue blanket. He looked to her and settled the photograph to the coffee table. _So it **is** a relative! I can see the resemblance between them._ he thought and guzzled down the ice water.

The front door of the trailer swung open and heavy footsteps pounded upon the floor. An old man dressed in a blue mechanic's shirt, worn jeans, and brown boots entered the living room covered in sweat. "Woooooooweeeeeeee!!!! What a day! That engine needed an overhaul!" he exclaimed. The old man paused to look at Vash with his brown eyes and asked, "Who's the kid, Celeste?" "This is Mr. Vash the Stampede. Mr. Vash this is my husband, Robert." she said, pleasantly. "You've got to be jerking my chain! This kid can't be the Humanoid Typhoon!" Robert said as he bursted into laughter and ruffled Vash's golden locks. Vash straightened his hair with a forged smile and remarked, :"Funny how people prefer fiction over fact." "So what brings you here, **Mr. Vash**?" Robert asked.. "Just passing through on business." he replied. "I found him out front and let him use the couch to recuperate." Celeste explained. "You're lucky my wife found you because the weather report said it will be ten degrees hotter than usual." Robert commented with a nod. "Yeah, I'm lucky that I met both of you but I must not be staying longer." Vash said and began to rise from the couch. Robert's hand clamped upon his shoulder and forced him to sit upon the cushion and said, "No, stay and have some whiskey with me!" "No no no no, I can't..." he said nervously. "Yes, you can. It puts hair on your chest!" he said cheerfully and slapped Vash upon the back. Vash looked to Celeste with a helpless expression on his face. "Just do it...He needs more male bonding..." she said quietly. He nodded to her and called out to Robert, "On second thought, I could use a good drink, old man!" "You're growing up already, kid! I'll meet you out front!" Robert said and opened the refrigerator.

Vash stepped outside of the trailer and thought _So these are her grandparents...Funny how opposites attract. _Robert exited from the door and tossed a bottle of whiskey to him and said, "Heads up!" "Thanks!" he said and caught the bottle one handed in mid air. The cap had been unscrewed from the bottle and Vash asked, "Are you doing anything special with your truck?" "Well just giving the clunker a good tune-up. It's been running like shit lately." Robert replied. "How long have you and your wife traveled the desert?" he asked. "Oh about a year. We've decided to discover the world for our retirement." Robert answered and began to chug the whiskey. He noticed that Vash took numerous swigs of the liquor and asked, "You don't drink much, do ya?" "I'm not a lush." he said in defense. "I'll show ya how a real man drinks! You and me in a chug match! We'll see who can handle it!" Robert demanded. Vash gave him an uneasy look yet nodded nevertheless. He removed several shot glasses from his left pant pocket and placed them at the picnic table near the door. The men sat the picnic table, settling the bottles on the table top. "Begin!" Robert shouted. Each man poured the liquor into the shot glass and drank it at identical times. Robert handled the contest professionally, appeared coherent and sat perfectly straight in his seat. His opponent could not sit properly, the eye lids drooped with beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. Vash swayed slightly within his seat, attempting to defeat this old man. They completely drained the liquor and Robert gave Vash a one-sided grin. "Are you still in the game, sonny?" he asked with a chuckle. Vash released a braying laugh and said, "I'm still here!" "Had enough yet?" he asked once more. "I'll tell you when I've had enough..." Vash replied in a slurring tone. He then began to bend over backwards and vomited upside down. Robert began to laugh heartily and said, "It was like that when I first began to drink. That takes me back!" 

Celeste ran outside to see the men at the picnic table and shouted, "What happened?! I heard a weird noise!" "The kid couldn't handle his liquor so he released a technicolor yawn!" Robert said and bursted into laughter. "You are such a showoff, Bobby!" she scolded with a shake of her head. "Naw, I'm actually making him into a man." he said casually. Celeste helped Vash lean forward and said, "You okay, son?" He did not respond to her and his eyes remained closed. "He's out like a light...How many shots did you guys have?" she asked. "We had twenty two each. Thanks to me he can tolerate more." he answered. "Let's get him to the couch and have him rest until he wakes up." she said. The elderly couple had stood over him and each had an arm rest on the other's shoulder. They hauled him from the picnic table, escorted him inside and settled him upon the couch. 

Vash continued to sleep upon the green couch and his eyes slowly opened. The vision had been a slight blur that had made his surroundings out of focus. The photographs were about three feet away from his face and noticed the photograph's image was different from the first time he noticed it. He saw the ghostly image of Rem smiling as she watered the garden. "Wha?" he muttered and rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. Instead of seeing Rem's image, he saw the same image of Iris' younger self. "What was that all about?" he said softly to himself. He began to rise from the couch, yawned loudly and stretched. "Where are the grandparents?" he asked, quizzically as the trailer seemed empty with silence. The sound of men arguing had flowed through the air vent in the wall. His hand brushed aside a yellow curtain to peek outside. He observed two men in fine suits and ties conversing with Robert. He knelt beside the air vent near the floor to eavesdrop on their conversation and heard, "Where's the money old man?" Robert's voice replied with, "I'm not paying you a dime. You took my farm and all the money I had. What more do you want?" "The boss is tired of waiting. You haven't fully paid your debt to him." "Are you deaf? I'm not paying one more cent. Damn you both and your boss." Robert said defiantly. "Don't forget who you're talking to, old man. The boss doesn't like disrespect." he said. Vash then heard a slight ruffling of clothing and peeked out the window once more to observe one of the men reaching into his coat and pulled out a gun. The other man placed a hand upon the gun and said, "Boss, don't want him dead yet. Keep your cool." His associate obeyed him by returning the gun to his pocket and went to their car several feet away. "You're lucky my associate can't kill you yet but be warned either pay up or else you and your family will be pumped full of lead. You have one week, old man and your life depends on it this time." the other man said and departed to the car. Robert watched them drive away, and kicked the sand in his anger. 

Vash stepped outside of the trailer and approached Robert. The old man composed himself, gave him a forged smile and said, "Nice to see you up, finally." "Yeah, I'm feeling alot better. Thank you for letting me sleep here and by the way who were those pair of suits talking to you?" Vash asked curiously. "Just some salesman that were persistent." Robert answered casually. "I never knew salesman that went around demanding money and threatening to kill their families. They must really want to meet their quota." Vash remarked. "So you heard our conversation, huh?" Robert asked. 

"Yes, sir. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. Just heard some arguing." Vash replied. 

"It's best that you keep your nose out of this. I don't need to get other people dragged into my problems." Robert said firmly. "Why do they want money from you?" Vash asked. "It's a long story. You might want to sit down for it." Robert explained and gestured to the picnic table. Vash sat at the table and said, "Okay I'm listening."

"This story will not be pretty so I'll be blunt. I've made some rotten choices and necessary sacrifices. Before this bullshit happened, Celeste and I lived in a farm in October. It was peaceful and the harvests were plentiful until there was this syndicate that terrorized the citizens. My son's authority in the government office was not powerful enough and they took over the town. I could not stand by any longer and have them hurt the people I cared about so I decided to do something about it. I went to their saloon that they claimed and challenged them to a game of poker. If I won they would leave town and if I lost I would give them the deed to the farm and all our possessions. Lady Luck took a shit on me and I lost. They took everything and we skipped town. It was bad enough that my wife and son had been dragged into this but I couldn't let my grandkid who was so young and pure, be in it. So I sent her and son to my daughter's mansion in November. That was just the icing on the cake. I thought they were satisfied with what they had but I was wrong. They found out that we had treasures from the family vault and that's why they are still chasing us. Now you know the whole tale...Why in the hell am I blurting it out in the first place..." he said, solemnly and stared at the sky.

Vash started to bawl at the top of his lungs and wailed out, "That's the most saddest story I've ever heard!" Robert looked to him quizzically and said in a critical tone, "You **claim** to be Vash the Stampede and you're **crying?** This doesn't involve you at all so why are you turning on the water works in the first place?" "It's awful that innocent people had to suffer like that. It's just isn't fair!" Vash wailed once more. Robert leaned forward with his face a foot away from Vash's, exhaled a sigh, and said, "Son, life is **full** of suffering. Without it, you wouldn't appreciate the things you have. If life **were** fair to just **you** then it would show favoritism and that wouldn't be fair to others around you."

"I guess you're right about that part. For a mechanic and farmer, you are sure philosophical." Vash commented and sniffled. He chuckled and said, "The Bloodworths are known to be profound thinkers. Just one of **many** traits in the gene pool that runs **strong**." _That explains how Iris is smart! _he thought, being dumbfounded. "Something wrong, son?" Robert asked, being concerned. "Oh nothing..." he said casually. "You are a strange man." Robert muttered with a shake of his head. "Actually, I'm a normal person compared to most people I know." Vash objected. "You are what you associate yourself with." he said. "Hey!:" Vash said angrily. "Don't take it the wrong way. I like to have things be unusual sometimes. It adds excitement to my dull life." he said and grinned. "You have it so easy. I would like to trade lives with you." Vash said. :"The question we have to ask ourselves is: 'Can we handle it?'" Robert pointed out. "If I were you, I would let myself"-he placed a hand on his chest-"handle those **persistent salesman** and get your money back." Vash said confidently. "You're not strange. You're crazy!" Robert exclaimed. "Crazy enough to do the right thing. You need to be alive to meet your grandchild again right?" Vash asked. "Yes, but are you sure you want to do this?" Robert asked. "Yes, I am absolutely sure." he answered and nodded, "Do you know where they hang out?" "Rumor has it that they hang out 5 iles northwest of here." Robert replied. "Is the truck up and running?" he asked. "Yes, I fixed it and it should run smoothly." he replied. 

"Good then let's get moving!" he exclaimed and hopped into the truck's cab anxiously.

"Hold on! What about my wife?!" Robert exclaimed. Celeste poked her head out the window and said sarcastically, "Yes, what about the wife?!" "Oh, hi honey. We didn't know you were listening!" Robert said nervously. "To every word. I say let the kid do it." she said firmly. "You're both crazy!" he yelled with his hands thrown into the air in an exasperated manner. Robert opened the driver side door, turned the key in the ignition and said, "Let's do it!"

The three of them traveled to the next town clearly labeled as Goldstream at the entrance of the town. The citizens were dressed in fine clothes and expensive jewelry as they paraded among the bright casinos. The sounds of shrill music and coins being deposited in a silver bin enveloped the atmosphere. Conversations of big winnings and loses were abundant. Few on-lookers turned their noses into the air at the site of the rusty trailer with its shabby yellow curtains as it passed by them. Vash glanced out the window and remarked, "Don't these people know that they are wasting their money?" :"Apparently not. They are stuck in their own little dream world." Robert answered. Vash continued to observe the casinos for any of those men he had seen earlier from his seat. He spotted one of the syndicate members enter the casino called the Platinum Palace with a white marble staircase lined with red carpet. "Stop the truck!" he shouted, excitedly. Robert's foot slammed on the brake and said, "What is it?" "We found what we're looking for." Vash replied. Robert parallel parked the trailer and truck in front of the Platinum Palace and asked, "Want me to accompany you or should I stay outside?" "You should stay out here if they try anything on Celeste." Vash said. "We have plenty of guns in the little bedroom and she knows how to use them." Robert said confidently. "You do have a point." he said and they ascended the stair case.

They made their way through the casino, observing the wide range of people talking, smiling, drunken with hope to "strike it big". What was troubling for Vash was the misery intermixed with determination;by people who spent all their money, begging for one more chance. There those who even lost the deeds to the houses in their games. He could not bear the thought of families affected by this yet disgusted that they foolishly deposited their finances into a whimsical cause.. As the two men passed the last set of slots towards the back, they took notice of the mobsters in a booth at the Golden Swan restaurant. Vash halted Mr. Bloodworth and said, "Stay here and cover me. Stay out of sight." He nodded and gave Vash a last word of advice, "The fat fellow with the cigar sitting in the middle is their boss. Watch yourself around him, he cheats and will stab you in the back. Don't trust him!" "Thanks for the warning. I'll take it from here." Vash said. He made his way into the restaurant, sat in a booth near the mob, and took a newspaper from the table's surface. The newspaper concealed his face in order to seem engrossed upon reading one of the articles in order to act as inconspicuous as possible. It was a good concealment which helped eavesdrop on their conversations to formulate a plan.

"Hey fellas, is my game ready yet?" asked the mob boss. "Almost boss, we're just waiting on our victim to show." replied his constituent. "Who is it? He better have more money this time. The last time you brought me someone he didn't have much money." the boss grunted. "Don't worry, boss. This guy has lots of money plus a nice house with two lovely daughters you could have your way with. Poor jerk won't know what hit him." the constituent said while laughing. "He better be wealthy. I'd hate to have to gut him to get my money's worth and I'll gut you for wasting my time. " the boss said in a threatening manner. The constituent then left nervously to check their "mark". "Alright boys, same plan as always, we let him think he's winning halfway through, then slowly win his and our money back. He'll then get desperate for money and we'll offer him a loan to stay in. Through his own greed we'll take the rest of his money and the money we lent him. At the end when he is broke and can't pay his loan back we'll take his house, all its possessions and his daughters as well. Make sure to rig the cards!" the boss boasted. He and his gang bursted out with laughter." _I see how deep their greed is. I'll use that to blind and get the best of them. I'll do to them what they are going to do to these poor people. _Vash thought. He observed the Mob head over to a poker table to await their victim's arrival. Vash decided to find the first constituent and attempt to take the victim's place in the game. _If I pass myself off as the rich victim. I can beat the Mob at their own game and save the victim's family. Not to mention returning Robert's possessions!_ he thought.

Vash observed the first constituent approach a tall man with dark hair and friendly brown eyes who had his fingers and neck adorned in golden jewelry. _That must be the **mark**_. _I have to find a way to separate these two_. he thought. Vash approached them and tapped the constituent upon his right shoulder. The man turned to look at him and Vash said, "Hey, dirtbag. I had sex with your mother last night, man, what a cow!" "What did you say to me?!" he demanded angrily. "What about you being a dirtbag, or me flowering your father's wife?" he asked. He removed a pistol from his jacket and put it to Vash's face, "How dare you say that about my mother!" he shouted. "How dare your mother moan like a drunken cow in bed!" he said mockingly. "That's it! You're dead!" he shouted and began to pull the trigger. Vash, with jet like reflexes, dodging the bullet while swinging around behind the man, and twisted his head, causing him to fall to the floor unconscious. "He'll sleep like a baby tonight. " he remarked. He looked to Vash with widened eyes in shock and said, "What the hell just happened here?!" "I'm saving your ass that's what happened here." he said seriously. "Saving me from what?" he asked. "The man you're about to play isn't just some friendly card player. He's the head of the Mob and is going to cheat you out of everything you own. Not to mention put your family in danger." Vash explained. "Why do you care what happens to me or my family?" he asked once more. "I may not care for your wicked gambling habit but I'd hate to see innocent people suffer because of your habit or the Mob. Besides, I'm trying to save a friend who made the same mistake that you are about to make." he explained, again. "So what should I do then?" he asked. "Give me your coat, hat, and jewelry. I'm going to take your place." he replied. "First thing. Why should I trust you with my fine clothes and jewelry? Second, What makes you think you have a chance against the Mob?" he asked. "To answer your first question. If I don't take your place, they'll come looking for your family and hold them for ransom. For the second question, I'm Vash the Stampede. Enough said." Vash replied. "What you're the Humanoid Typhoon? You're that sixty billion double dollar man?! You can't be him!" the man protested. "Well you have two choices: Believe me and allow me to take your place or the Mob will take your family, get your possessions by force and have their way with your daughters. The choice is yours." Vash said, seriously. "Alright I'll play it your way. I'll be watching you. You'd better return my possessions when you're done." he agreed and gave him the required items. Vash adorned himself in the clothing and jewelry to have the man laugh heartily at his comical appearance. "You look stupid!" he said in the midst of laughing. "It doesn't matter what I look like as long as I can beat them." Vash said and began to approach the door to the game room. 

Vash entered the game room and looked to the mobsters at the poker table. "Evening gents. I hear you are looking for a high roller." he said in a friendly manner. The Mob boss looked to him and asked, "Hey, where's Vinnie? He's supposed to escort you here."

"Some blond stranger insulted him and he's dealing with him right now." Vash replied. 

"Sounds like Vinnie, alright. You don't want to get on his bad side." he said. "So are we going to play poker or chat like old ladies at bridge?" Vash asked. "Hey, look at the balls on this guy. I like you kid. Now let's play." the Mob boss said and gestured to the chair at the other side of the table. Vash accepted the seat and prepared himself for the game. "What's the game?" he asked. "Five card poker no wilds." he replied. One of the lackeys entered the room with deck of red cards, settled them to the table and presented Vash with fifty thousand double dollars worth of gambling chips. "What's with the chips? I haven't given you any money yet." Vash said quizzically, with a confused expression on his face. "You are quite wealthy aren't you?" the boss asked. "Extremely wealthy." Vash said, confidently yet a hint of nervousness could be indicated. "Don't worry about it till the end of the game." the boss said. "Fine with me." he said. 

One of the lackeys dispensed five cards to each player at the table. "Antis are one hundred double dollars, first bets are one thousand minimum, and raises are five thousand double dollars minimum." the boss explained. "Antis up, boys!" Vinne the card dealer announced. Each deposited a white chip to the center of the table. "How many cards do you want?" Vinnie asked Vash. "Hold on a minute." Vash said and paused to look at his cards. They displayed four kings and three of spades. He widened his eyes with surprise upon the site and said to Vinnie, "Just one." He discarded the three of spades to the green table. Vinnie to his boss and asked the same question. "Three if you please." the boss said calmly and received the requested cards. "Place your bets!" Vinnie said. "I bet two thousand double dollars." Vash said. "I see your two thousand and raise you five thousand." the boss replied. Each player deposited the necessary chips to the center of the table. "I call. Four kings!" Vash said and had spread his cards on display upon the table. 

"Oh darn. I only have three jacks! Wow, how lucky to get such a good hand on the first play." he said in mock disappointment. _Oh yeah! **Real **lucky! _Vash mentally remarked in the midst of gathering the chips he had won. Vinnie dispensed another set of cards to the players and prompted them to do their antis. Both gentleman tossed in their chips and examined their cards. Vash looked to his cards to observe four aces and four of diamonds. "How many cards for you?" Vinnie asked Vash. "Just one for me." he replied and deposited the four of diamonds to the table. Vinnie dealt him a card and asked his boss the same question. "Three for me." the boss answered. He received the cards after discarding the other cards from his deck. "Place your bets!" Vinnie said. "I bet three thousand double dollars." Vash announced. "I'll match your three thousand and raise you six thousand." the boss said. They tossed in their chips to the pile. "I call. What have you got?" Vash asked. "Four sixes and you?" the boss asked. "Four aces." Vash replied and spread his cards on the table. "Gee, how lucky! I won again!" Vash said in mock astonishment. "Hey boys! Looks we got a pro here tonight. We'd better be careful or he'll wipe us out!" the boss retorted. 

Each player participated in eight hands, and Vash continued to win effortlessly as though fate decided to take pity on him. He knew that such luck was non-existent and continued to play in their little charade. _No wonder so many are caught in their little spider's web. They may think they are winning big but instead they are drawn in and sucked dry from the inside out. _he thought in the midst of the game. "You are doing so well. I hope your luck keeps up." the boss commented. Vinnie distributed the cards to the players and Vash instinctively took the boss' sentence as a hint that he would start to lose. Vash looked to his cards to see two of hearts, four of spades, seven of diamonds, queen of spades, king of hearts. _I knew it...It **is** a hint that he is cheating..._he thought. Vinne asked Vash, "How many cards?" "Three please." he replied and discarded all the cards except for the king and queen. He received his three cards to notice that they were as worthless as the ones he tossed. _So the real game begins..._he thought. Every set of cards that he received from Vinnie were worthless and the grand pile of chips Vash had built began to diminish. "Sonny, you were doing so well. Maybe your luck will turn around soon." the boss said in a mock sympathetic tone. _It's time for me to make my own luck. He's right things **will** turn around_. he thought with a grin. Vash received his next set of cards and he held them closely to his sleeve. He wiggled a couple hidden cards out of his sleeve and combined them into the deck. He snuck the cards he did not want into his sleeve. He turned what would have been two kings and a two into four kings and two. Vinnie asked the standard question of: "How many cards?" "Just one." he replied. Vinnie gave him a card and Vash discarded the two. _Only one card? The game's fixed. He can't have a good hand. He must be trying to bluff me. Little does he know that I won't fold. _the boss thought while giving him a critical look. Vinnie asked the standard question to the boss and his reply was: "Just one please." He received the card and discarded another from his hand. Vinnie prompted them again by saying, "Place your bets." "I bet ten thousand." Vash said. "Ten thousand, you say? I'll see your ten thousand and raise you another ten thousand." the boss said. "I'll see your ten thousand raise and add on another ten thousand." Vash said. _This guy's a really bad bluff! Poor sap is going to lose his money twice as quick as the others. _the boss thought with raised brows. "Alright, I'll add ten thousand more and I call. What do you have?" the boss asked. "Four kings!" Vash said cheerfully with a huge grin and slammed the cards upon the table. "Four kings? What do you mean four kings?" the boss asked, bewildered. Vash pointed to the cards and asked innocently, :"These are kings aren't they?" The boss beckoned Vinnie to him and whispered into his ear, "I thought you rigged the deck." "I did honestly. I've been giving him nothing but worthless hands. There's no way he can have four kings. I'm sure of it boss." he whispered in response. "It looks like our little friend here is cheating as well. I don't intend on losing. Go get the boys. It's time to get rough with this one." the boss said. Vinne departed from the game room to gather the gang together. "Where's he going?" Vash asked, curiously. "Oh he just had to grab another deck of cards. This is turning into quite a game." the boss replied. "Still haven't shown me your hand yet." Vash said. The boss dropped the cards to the table to display four jacks. "Yeah, I've won!" Vash said in mock rapture and reached over to gather the pile of chips. "Not so fast!" the boss said and rotated Vash's arms to reveal the cards hidden in his sleeve. "Looks like you lose." the boss said and pulled out his gun. The gang members entered the game room with their guns pointed at him. "All this for little ol' me? I'm not ready for a fan club yet." Vash remarked. One of the gang members shouted gruffly, "Shut up you! No one disrespects and cheats the boss! Do you know who you're dealing with?! You cheated the most ruthless mobster on the planet!" "I know very well who he is and I will disrespect him with every chance I get. He's nothing to me." Vash said confidently. "How dare you say such things in my prescence! I can slaughter you in a heartbeat! You better shut your mouth because you don't know what you've gotten yourself into!" the boss shouted angrily. "On the contrary, **you** don't know what you've gotten yourself into." Vash said, firmly and shedded his disguise to the floor. _Red coat? Blond spiked hair? Fearless attitude? Black boots? Oh my God! It's Vash the Stampede!_ Vinnie thought in horror. "Boss! This is the wrong man!" Vinnie exclaimed. "The wrong man? He's a dead man!" the boss said. "But boss! This is V-V-Vash the Stampede! He'll slaughter us all! He defeated the whole Bad Lads gang and even Brilliant Dynamites Neon!" Vinnie protested. "So you're Vash the Stampede?" the boss asked. "That's right." Vash replied. "So what. Have you come here to take over my territory?!" the boss demanded. "No, I'm just here to get what belongs to a friend. You cheated him and now is time for payback." Vash answered. "Aw that's so touching. Makes me weep like a little girl. You are so noble." the boss said sarcastically. "Oh yes, you will be crying just like a little girl when I get done with you." Vash said mockingly and nodded. "Enough of this! BOYS!!!! KILL HIM!!!!!" the boss shouted. Vash turned to Vinnie and asked, "Are you really stupid enough to shoot me? You won't survive. None of you will. I'm faster than all of you combined. If you truly want to see your wives tonight I suggest you drop the guns and run like hell!" "Well what are you waiting for?! Kill him!!!" the boss shouted once more. "Gee I don't know boss. If this truly is Vash the Stampede, he'll kill us before we even pull the trigger." Vinnie said. "All those stories were thrown out of proportion! He's not as great as they say he is. NOW SHOOT HIM!!!" the boss shouted again. "Sorry boss. I'm not going to throw my life away and if any of you guys are smart, you'll come with me." Vinnie said, and ran out of the game room. The gang, with confusion, decided to drop their guns to their floor, leaving the room in their haste. The Mob boss and Vash were the only two people standing in the game room. "Looks like your friends have left you. Do you still think you have a chance against me?" Vash asked sharply. "I don't need those pathetic cowards. In other words I'll kill you myself." the boss replied, and aimed his gun straight at Vash to shoot. His opponent reached out for his arm, grabbed the gun and disassembled the top slide with the contents of his pistol falling to the floor. Vash swung behind the boss, shoved his pistol into his neck and said calmly, "Now this is what's going to happen. You're going to return all of Robert Bloodworth's possessions and his money. You will leave town and never bother him or anyone else again. If you don't, I'll rip you from limb to limb." "Alright! Alright! Alright! Don't shoot! All his money and possessions are at an abandoned warehouse on the west side of town. It's a big blue building!" the boss said, cooperating and being scared out of his wits. "Alright, I'm going to go get it. If I were you, I would leave town right now." Vash said firmly. He released the boss from his clutches and began to leave the game room. With Vash's back turned, the Mob boss withdrew a second gun hidden in his boot and shot at him. Vash, as fast as lightning, spun around to dodge the bullet and shot the boss' gun, causing it to explode in his hand and throw shrapnel into his face. The boss fell to the floor in great pain while Vash walked away with a smile from ear to ear. _Those guys seem alot tougher in the movies. _he thought and picked the borrowed clothes and jewelry from the floor as well as the chips from the table, leaving the room promptly. 

__

Now for Phase Two. he thought. He approached a nearby booth surrounded by bars and requested to convert the chips into cash from the cashier. "Lady Luck must've really spoiled you this time!" the cashier commented. "More than you'll ever know!" Vash added and received the piles of money. "Enjoy your money while you still have it!" she called out him as he left.

Vash approached the owner of the clothing who stood by a colorful slot machine and said, "I believe these are yours." "Thank you for returning them and keeping your promise. Those guys ran out like a bat out of hell!" the man exclaimed and receiving the items. "They belong there! And gambling forms your own hell that you almost brought on yourself today. I hope these events taught you something." Vash said, seriously. "I'll never take unnecessary risks and put anything precious on the line again. I'm old yet I make stupid mistakes like a kid!" the man said and chuckled. _You don't know the half of it..._Vash thought. He left casino after saying their good byes and exchanging handshakes.

Robert waited patiently outside of the Platinum Palace for his friend to emerge from the exit. He observed the panic stricken mobsters that came running out of the casino, screaming, "EVERBODY RUN!!!!! VASH THE STAMPEDE IS AFTER US!!!!! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!" "That's the first time I've ever seen the mob run in fear." he muttered to himself. Vash emerged from the casino and approached Robert. 

"I know where all your possessions are. Let's go get it while there's still daylight." Vash said cheerfully. "But how did you defeat the Mob? They're ruthless!" Robert asked. "Aggressive negotiations." Vash replied. "What do you mean by aggressive negotiations?" he asked, again. "Negotiations with a gun and out-smarting them." he said. "So you truly are Vash the Stampede!" Robert said, being dumbfounded. "In the flesh. Now let's get going." he said with a grin and hopped into the truck's cab. Robert entered the driver's seat and had been told the directions from Vash. The three of them sped off to their destination. 

"It was very noble of you to help us. We are extremely grateful." Celeste's voice could be heard from the window of the trailer in the cab. "Why do you have a terrible reputation and such a high bounty on your head?" Robert asked while driving. "Trouble seems to follow me around. I can't help but stick my nose into situations like this to help people sometimes it ends up backfiring." Vash answered. "I don't care what the reports say about you. You're a good man in my eyes." Robert said. "Thanks, old man." Vash said sincerely. Twenty minutes passed by and they arrived to the rusty warehouse. 

They entered the warehouse that had been dimly lit from the suns shining upon the interior. Robert frowned to see rows of boxes that covered the floor and muttered, "Which one is ours?" "Hmmm..." Celeste said to herself and walked to the first row of boxes to observe them closer. She noticed each one to have a last name scrawled upon them in alphabetical order. Her finger pointed to the middle box that had the name Bloodworth written in black and said with joy, "Here it is!" "Alright!" Vash exclaimed. 

He withdrew a knife from his trenchcoat and had cut the tape that sealed the cardboard box together. Once opened, he saw several small daggers, a jewelry box, several paintings encased in plastic bubble wrap, and a marble statuette of an angel taking pity upon a dieing man. "This it alright! I never thought I would see these again. It's too bad you couldn't retreive the money that they took from me." Robert said and grinned. "You mean **this** money?" Vash asked and withdrew several bills of cash bound by tape from his trenchcoat. "How did you get this?!" he asked with astonishment. "When the Mob ran out of the casino, they left all of their chips behind. So I cashed them at the lobby and now the Mob is broke. Even if they wanted to set up business again, they couldn't afford to." Vash explained and laughed heartily. "Well Vash you're a man of your word. You got us everything back you promised you would. You haven't even asked for anything in return." Robert said. "All I ask from you in return that you promise never to gamble again and maybe a box of donuts." Vash said, honestly. "Instead of going to the store, how about I make you a fresh batch? You deserve only the best after all you have done." Celeste offered. "There you go with your kindness again, Grandma! You're too nice!" Vash exclaimed. "The grandson I've never had..." Celeste said. She grinned to him and entered the trailer. "I almost forgot the reason why I married her in the first place." Robert remarked. "You're lucky that you have her for a wife. Iris comes from good stock." Vash remarked. "Who?" Robert asked suspiciously. "Uh..Doris! Doris! I mix up names alot!" he lied. "No, you said Iris. So you know my granddaughter?" Robert asked calmly. "Yes." he replied. "I wonder about the people she hangs out with.." Robert said with exasperation and shook his head in disapproval. "Don't worry. I didn't do anything you wouldn't agree with." he assured him. They entered the trailer and made their way to the tiny dining room. 

Vash drummed his fingers on the dining table's surface as he waited for Celeste to finish her cooking. "Donuts are on!" she announced from the kitchen. She placed a warm plate of chocolate covered donuts before her guest and watched him devour them greedily. 

"He has quite an appetite!" Celeste commented. "Yeah, a bottomless pit!" he agreed with widened eyes. Vash finished his meal and said happily, "Thank you so much! My tongue knows good food when it tastes it!" "You're welcome. I've also froze the water in your canteen so you will be prepared for your hot trek in the desert." Celeste said and gestured to the canteen laying on the coffee table. "Thank you again, Grandma! I wish I could stay here forever but I have to leave." Vash said sadly as he rose from his chair. "Same here, Vash." Robert said and grinned. 

The Bloodworths watched their savior walk towards the suns as they setted in the horizon. He stopped to wave at the couple standing before the front door, smiling to himself. It satisfied him that he brought a family back together, giving them a unifying strength that he always wanted to have with his brother. His brother's hatred towards the people he cared about, had set each other apart. _If only Knives could have watched the events that took place...maybe it would have influenced him to reconsider his attitude to the human race...I have to keep moving to see him again and make him stop once and for all _he thought. He smiled once again, the events of the day did strengthen his determination to resolve the grudge match. 


End file.
